Dream of the Red Chamber (Set of 2 Books)

Cao Xueqin (real name — Cao Zhan, 1715?–1764?) — a Chinese writer, poet, calligrapher, and painter. His biography is mysterious: different sources attribute different years of life to him, and his education is known only from rumors. However, his main achievement, the work of his whole life, "Dream of the Red Chamber," unlike its creator, is absolutely real and is the most famous of the four classic novels in the Chinese language. The rise and fall of the Jia clan are intertwined with history, traditions, and mysticism; it is no wonder the novel is considered one of the main novels of Chinese literature.