红楼梦，Chapter 1

The title of the chapter and the first sentence (with annotation)

Notes on the Project

I don’t think I’ll be able to go through the whole book in the style of this note, but perhaps it’s something to do for the first few sentences.

I’ve been thinking about subscribing to Andrew Methven’s “Slow Chinese” or taking the “Chinese News Bootcamp” from Outlier Linguistics. It’s easy to get distracted from what one has set out to do. Why study the news when one can study a book like 红楼梦？

This post is about expanding the following passage from 红楼梦.

Chapter 1: Zhen Shi-yin makes the Stone’s acquaintance in a dream and Jia Yu-cun finds that poverty is not incompatible with romantic feelings.

Gentle Reader,

What, you may ask, was the origin of this book?

Though the answer to this question may at first seem to border on the absurd, reflection will show that there is a good deal more in it than meets the eye.

David Hawkes

第一回 甄士隐梦幻识通灵 贾雨村风尘怀闺秀

第一回 (Dì yī huí):

• "Chapter One" or "The First Episode".

甄士隐 (Zhēn Shìyǐn):

• A character in the novel, his name can be translated as "Zhēn Shìyǐn".

梦幻识通灵 (mèng huàn shí tōng líng):

• 梦幻 (mèng huàn): "Dream" or "illusion".

• 识 (shí): "Recognize" or "perceive".

• 通灵 (tōng líng): "Spiritually perceptive" or "clairvoyant".

• This phrase describes a situation where Zhēn Shìyǐn, in a dream or illusion, perceives something supernatural or spiritually significant.

贾雨村 (Jiǎ Yǔcūn):

• Another character in the novel, "Jiǎ Yǔcūn".

风尘怀闺秀 (fēng chén huái guī xiù):

• 风尘 (fēng chén): "Worldly" or "dusty", often associated with life's hardships or the outside world.

• 怀 (huái): "To cherish" or "to harbor".

• 闺秀 (guī xiù): "Young lady of respectable family" or "virtuous maiden".

• This part suggests that Jiǎ Yǔcūn harbors thoughts or feelings about a virtuous young

  woman, possibly reflecting his experiences or desires.

  • Putting it all together, "贾雨村风尘怀闺秀" could be interpreted as "Jia Yu-cun, experienced in the ways of the world, cherishes the ideal of the sheltered, noble young lady." This phrase encapsulates Jia Yu-cun's complex character - despite his worldly experiences and the hardships of poverty, he still holds an idealized view of love and virtue, often represented by the figure of the '闺秀'.

    The translation you suggested, "Jia Yu-cun finds that poverty is not incompatible with romantic feelings," captures the essence but focuses more on the contrast between his impoverished circumstances and his romantic or idealistic inclinations. It's a bit more interpretative, emphasizing the coexistence of poverty and romantic ideals in his character. Both translations offer valuable insights into Jia Yu-cun's character, albeit from slightly different angles.

整句话的意思是：“第一回 甄士隐在梦幻中识别通灵之事，贾雨村在纷扰世界中怀念闺中秀女.”

• Zhěng jù huà de yìsi shì:“Dì yī huí zhēnshìyǐn zài mènghuàn zhōng shìbié tōng líng zhī shì, jiǎ yǔcūn zài fēnrǎo shìjiè zhōng huáiniàn guī zhōng xiù nǚ.

• The meaning of the whole sentence is: "For the first time, Zhen Shiyin recognized psychic things in his dream, and Jia Yucun missed his beautiful girl in the chaotic world."

这个标题为这一章节设定了两个重要的情节：

• Zhège biāotí wèi zhè yī zhāng jié shè dìngle liǎng gè zhòngyào de qíngjié:

• This title sets up two important plot points for this chapter:

甄士隐的超自然体验和贾雨村对于一位高贵女性的思念。这两个故事线索为整个小说的发展奠定了基础。

• Zhēnshìyǐn de chāozìrán tǐyàn hé jiǎ yǔcūn duìyú yī wèi gāoguì nǚxìng de sīniàn. Zhè liǎng gè gùshì xiànsuǒ wèi zhěnggè xiǎoshuō de fǎ zhǎn diàndìngle jīchǔ.

• Zhen Shiyin's supernatural experience and Jia Yucun's longing for a noble woman. These two story threads lay the foundation for the development of the entire novel.

列位看官，你道(dao4)此书从何而来?说起根由虽近荒唐，【甲侧:自占地步。 自首荒唐，妙!】细谙则深有趣味。

Let’s look at the sentence first and then the annotation.

“列位看官”（liè wèi kàn guān)

• 这是旧时小说中常用的一种称呼，意为“各位读者”。这种称呼在古代小说中很常见，给人一种古色古香的感觉。

  • Zhè shì jiùshí xiǎoshuō zhōng chángyòng de yī zhǒng chēnghu, yì wèi “gèwèi

    dúzhě”. Zhè zhǒng chēnghu zài gǔdài xiǎoshuō zhōng hěn chángjiàn, jǐ rén yī zhǒng gǔsègǔxiāng de gǎnjué

  • This is a commonly used title in old novels, and it means "everyone reading." This kind of title is very common in ancient novels, giving people an antique feeling.

“此书从何而来”（cǐ shū cóng hé ér lái)

• 这句话的意思是“这本书是从哪里来的”。这里用到了“从何而来”，是一个比较文言的表达方式，在现代汉语中一般会说“这本书是怎么来的”。

  • Zhè jù huà de yìsi shì “zhè běn shū shì cóng nǎlǐ lái de”. Zhèlǐ yòng dàole “cóng hé ér lái”, shì yīgè bǐjiào wényán de biǎodá fāngshì, zài xiàndài hànyǔ zhòng yībān huì shuō “zhè běn shū shì zěnme lái de”。

  • This sentence means "where did this book come from". "Where does it come from" is used here, which is a more classical expression. In modern Chinese, it is generally said "where does this book come from?"

“说起根由虽近荒唐”（shuō qǐ gēn yóu suī jìn huāng táng)

• 这里的“根由”指的是根源或原因，“虽近荒唐”意思是“虽然看起来有点荒谬”。整句的意思是“虽然这本书的来历看起来有些荒谬”。

  • “Shuō qǐ gēnyóu suī jìn huāngtáng": Zhèlǐ de “gēnyóu” zhǐ de shì gēnyuán huò

    yuányīn,“suī jìn huāngtáng” yìsi shì “suīrán kàn qǐlái yǒudiǎn huāngmiù”. Zhěng jù de yìsi shì “suīrán zhè běn shū de láilì kàn qǐlái yǒuxiē huāngmiù”.

  • "Speaking of the root cause, although it is almost absurd": The "root cause" here refers to the root or cause, and "although it is almost absurd" means "although it seems a bit ridiculous." The whole sentence means "Although the origin of this book seems a bit ridiculous."

“细谙则深有趣味”（xì ān zé shēn yǒu qù wèi）

• “细谙”是指细致地了解或研究，“深有趣味”意味着非常有趣。整句的意思是“仔细研究的话，会发现很有趣”。

  • “Xì ān” shì zhǐ xìzhì de liǎojiě huò yánjiū,“shēn yǒuqùwèi” yìwèizhe fēicháng yǒu qù. Zhěng jù de yìsi shì “zǐxì yánjiū dehuà, huì fāxiàn hěn yǒu qù”.

  • "A detailed understanding" means to understand or study it in detail, and "to know it deeply and interestingly" means to be very interesting. The whole sentence means "If you study it carefully, you will find it very interesting."

“甲侧:自占地步。自首荒唐，妙!”

• “Jiǎ cè: Zì zhàn dìbù. Zìshǒu huāngtáng, miào!”

• A side: Self-occupied. Surrendering is absurd, wonderful!"

  • 这句话是对前面提到的“说起根由虽近荒唐”这一部分的一种评论或解读。

    • Zhè jù huà shì duì qiánmiàn tí dào de “shuō qǐ gēnyóu suī jìn huāngtáng” zhè yībùfèn de yī zhǒng pínglùn huò jiědú.

    • This sentence is a comment or interpretation of the part mentioned earlier, "It is almost absurd to talk about the root cause."

“甲侧”（jiǎ cè）

• 这里的“甲”指的是第一位，或者可以理解为“作者本人”。“侧”则是指“方面”或“角度”。所以“甲侧”整体的意思是指“从作者自己的角度”。

  • “Jiǎ cè”(jiǎ cè): Zhèlǐ de “jiǎ” zhǐ de shì dì yī wèi, huòzhě kěyǐ lǐjiě wèi “zuòzhě běnrén”.“Cè” zé shì zhǐ “fāngmiàn” huò “jiǎodù”. Suǒyǐ “jiǎ cè” zhěngtǐ de yìsi shì zhǐ “cóng zuòzhě zìjǐ de jiǎodù”.

  • "A" (first) here refers to the first place, or can be understood as "the author himself". "Side" refers to "aspect" or "angle". Therefore, the overall meaning of "A side" refers to "from the author's own perspective."

“自占地步”（zì zhàn dì bù）

• “自占”可以理解为“自己占据”或“自己担当”，“地步”则是指“位置”或“立场”。整个短语的意思是“作者自己担当了某种立场”。

  • “Zì zhàn” kěyǐ lǐjiě wèi “zìjǐ zhànjù” huò “zìjǐ dāndāng”,“dìbù” zé shì zhǐ “wèizhì” huò “lìchǎng”. Zhěnggè duǎnyǔ de yìsi shì “zuòzhě zìjǐ dāndāngle mǒu zhǒng lìchǎng”

  • "Self-occupied" can be understood as "owning oneself" or "taking one's own responsibility", while "position" refers to "position" or "position". The entire phrase means "the author himself takes a position"

“自首荒唐”（zì shǒu huāng táng)

• 这里的“自首”是“自己承认”的意思，“荒唐”指荒谬、不合理。这句话的意思是“作者自己承认这是荒谬的”。

  • Zhèlǐ de “zìshǒu” shì “zìjǐ chéngrèn” de yìsi,“huāngtáng” zhǐ huāngmiù, bù hélǐ. Zhè jù huà de yìsi shì “zuòzhě zìjǐ chéngrèn zhè shì huāngmiù de”.

  • The word "surrender" here means "own admission", and "absurd" means absurd and unreasonable. This sentence means "the author himself admits that this is absurd."

“妙”（miào）

• 这里的“妙”可以理解为“巧妙”或“精彩”。

  • Zhèlǐ de “miào” kěyǐ lǐjiě wèi “qiǎomiào” huò “jīngcǎi”.

兴趣。这种自我解构的方式在文学中相当有趣，体现了作者的智慧和对读者期待的理解。

• Zònghé lái kàn, zhè jù huà de yìsi shì: Cóng zuòzhě de jiǎodù lái kàn, tā zìjǐ chéngrèn zhè zhǒng lìchǎng huò shuōfǎ shì huāngtáng de, dàn zhè zhǒng zìwǒ chéngrèn de huāngmiù fǎn'ér shì yī zhǒng qiǎomiào zhī chù. Zhè biǎomíng zuòzhě zài zìcháo, bìngqiě yòng yī zhǒng zì qiān de fāngshì lái xīyǐn dúzhě de xìngqù. Zhè zhǒng zìwǒ jiěgòu de fāngshì zài wénxué zhōng xiāngdāng yǒuqù, tǐxiànle zuòzhě de zhìhuì hé duì dúzhě qídài de lǐjiě.

• Taken together, the meaning of this sentence is: from the author's point of view, he himself admits that this position or statement is absurd, but this self-admitted absurdity is actually a kind of ingenuity. This shows that the author is mocking himself and using a self-effacing way to attract the reader's interest. This method of self-deconstruction is quite interesting in literature and reflects the author's intelligence and understanding of readers' expectations.