Dream of the Red Chamber (1987 TV series)

Dream of the Red Chamber (Chinese: 红楼梦; pinyin: Hónglóu Mèng), first released in 1987, is a television series produced by CCTV adapted from the classic 18th century Chinese novel Dream of the Red Chamber. It gained enormous popularity for its music, cast, and plot adaptation. It was first filmed in Beijing in Mandarin, then the series was dubbed in Cantonese and Shanghainese. The series is 36 episodes long.

The TV series is regarded by many within China as being a near-definitive adaptation of the novel. A TV remake of the novel started airing in 2010; however, much objection was raised over the unorthodox costume design and other contested interpretations.

Plot summary[]

The series follows the plot of Cao Xueqin's novel Dream of the Red Chamber. The series begins with the mother-less child, Lin Daiyu - whose beauty and intelligence surpasses all - moving into the family compound of her maternal grandmother in the capital. There, the child meets numerous relatives, one of whom is Jia Baoyu, her mother's nephew and male protagonist. Baoyu was born with a piece of jade in his mouth and, so, is treated like a fragile egg and spoiled by his grandmother. He often spends his time with his female cousins and maids instead of tending to his studies. In addition to Daiyu, one of the cousins he spends time with the most is the tactful Xue Baochai.

As the story goes on, Baoyu and Daiyu eventually fall in love with each other, but Daiyu is not very well liked by the family and, instead, the family members favor Baochai. Eventually, Baoyu and Baochai are forced to marry, and Daiyu dies of a broken heart. The series ends with the Emperor confiscating the Jia family properties and the family members scattered, some to their own tragic end. While some of the members do eventually reunite, Baoyu leaves to become a monk.

Episodes[]

The serial contains 36 episodes spanning the novel.

1. Daiyu Parted With Her Father and Went to the Capital
2. Baoyu, Daiyu, and Baochai's First Meeting at the Hall of Glorious Pageant
3. Granny Liu Pays Her First Visit to the Jung Mansion
4. Daiyu Feels Slight Jealous While meeting Baoyu at Baochai's Home
5. Xifeng Sets a Vicious Trap for a Lover
6. Xifeng Helps to Manage Affairs at the Ning Mansion
7. Literary Talent Tested By Composing Inscriptions for Grandview Garden
8. Jung Mansion Had the Imperial Consort's Visitation on the Lantern Festival
9. A Sweet Girl Shows Deep Feeling One Quiet Day
10. A Song Awakes Baoyu to Esoteric Truths
11. Meeting a Nightmare In Seeking After Favor
12. Daiyu Weeps at Falling Petals
13. The Fortune Enjoys Deep Fortune and Long Life
14. Chin-chuan Dies a Heroic Death in Shame
15. Baoyu Was Beaten For Flirting
16. Granny Liu Pays a Visit to Grandview Garden
17. Xifeng Taken by Surprise Gives Ways to Jealousy
18. Yuanyang Vows Never to Marry
19. White Snow and Red Plum-Blossum in the Glassy World
20. Plucky Qingwen Mends a Peacock-Feather Cape in Bed
21. An Evening Banquet on the Lantern Festival in the Jung Mansion
22. Ping'er Wields Authority to Right a Wrong
23. Artful Zijuan Tests Baoyu's Feelings
24. Girls Feast at Night in Happy Red Court
25. The Profligate Secretly Takes Second Sister Yu as a Concubine
26. Xifeng in Jealousy Makes a Scene in the Ning Mansion
27. Lady Xing Feels Wronged and Puts Xifeng in Wrong
28. Strange Omen Occurs at Night Banquet
29. Spoony Childe Writes a Dirge on Cottonrose Hibiscus
30. Drifting Away of Fair Maidens From Grandview Garden
31. Spiritual Jade Was Stolen During a Bustling Feast
32. Grieving Over Tanchun's Departure to Marry Far from Home
33. Astonished by the Heavy News of the Death of Daiyu
34. Forced Xifeng Resigned Herself to a Fate Spread East of Bed-Curtain
35. Collapsed Mansion Comes to an End
36. A Vast and White Expanse of Immerse Universe

Cast[]

• as Jia Baoyu
• Chen Xiaoxu as Lin Daiyu
• Zhang Li as Xue Baochai
• Cheng Mei as Jia Yuanchun
• Dongfang Wenying as Jia Tanchun
• Guo Xiaozhen as Shi Xiangyun
• Ji Yu (former name Ji Peijie) as Miaoyu
• Deng Jie as Wang Xifeng
• Jin Lili as Jia Yingchun
• Zhang Lei as Qin Keqing
• Shen Ling as Ping'er
• An Wen (former name Zhang Jinglin) as Qingwen
• Yuan Mei as Xiren
• Gao Liang as Jia Lian
• Zhou Xianzhen as Lady Wang
• Wu Xiaodong as Jia Yun
• Yang Junyong as Jia Rong

Accolades[]

Reception and soundtrack[]

The 1987 series was initially somewhat controversial as few Redologists believed a TV adaptation could do the novel full justice. Producer and director Wang Fulin's decision in employing non-professional youths was vindicated as the TV series gained enormous popularity in China.

The series' success owes much to composer Wang Liping (王立平). He set many of the novel's classical verses to music, taking as long as four years to deliberate and complete his compositions.

External links[]

• Dream of Red Mansions, CNTV online complete video, free and legal streaming (Chinese)
• 'A Dream of Red Mansions TV Serial by CCTV (DVD)'
• Dream of the Red Chamber at IMDb