Literary theme

Impermanence

Beauty, wealth, intimacy, and memory are observed as things already passing.

3 characters1 books

Characters

Lives shaped by impermanence

A sensitive heir who resists the ambitions his family has assigned to him.

A gifted, vulnerable poet whose emotional insight makes her both intimate and exposed.

A composed young woman skilled at meeting the demands of family and society.

Books

Classics

Cao Xueqin

4 available editions