Olivia Newton
asked:
Does the wedding of Jia Baoyu and Xue Baochai take place in the first 80 chapters or the last 40 chapters of the original books? It always struck me as odd that Jia Baoyu was tricked into marrying Xue Baochai by bluffing Baoyu that it was Lin Daiyu under the red shawl because it just feels too forced. Is it possible that there is another way to have written the story such that Jia Baoyu knowingly marries XueBaochai?
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Albert Sun
You are raising a good question.
First, Cao Xueqin is the author of the book, while Gao E's part was not approved by Cao Xueqin since Cao died after writing 80 chapters. Therefore, we should not regard Gao's supplementary chapters as real part of the book. Also, some prominent redologists, such as Zhou Ruchang, has argued that the proper number of chapters should be 108 instead of 120.
Back to your question now.
(1) For sure, Cao intended Jia and Xue to get married, as obviously from the 1st song of 5th chapter.
(2) But definitely not in the way which Gao E imagined.
First, it was ridiculous for a grandeur family like Jia's to play a trick on their children's marriage. You already consider it as odd - imagine what would people of Ancient China take that if it truly happened?
Second, in Gao's version, the supporters behind the scene are Grandmother Jia and Wang Xi-feng. This is even more ridiculous. They have already implied their attitudes in the first 80 chapters that they are for the marriage between Lin and Jia. And there is a legitimate reason for doing so, other than their mutual affections (which actually do not count under such social circumstances): As Lin's father had no male heir and he was extremely rich, Jia's family took over much of the heritage. It is quite understandable that Jias would have a moral awareness that they need to "take care of" Lin Daiyu, and preferably by integrating her into Jia's family.
One of the best predictions, therefore, was that Lin died before she and Bao-yu could enter marriage, and then Jia and Xue got married. also echoing with the verse in chapter 1:
"Who yesterday her lord's bones laid in clay,
on silken bridal-bed shall lie today."
(3)I am Chinese who has a basic academic understanding of this book. Basically, don't read the chapters after the 80th. their quality is simply bad, and is pretty much against Cao's original intentions.
One problem concerning your question is that, Gao's edition somehow turns the tragedy into some kind of farce. As far as we know, there was no love triangle in the fist 80 chapters; Jia and Xue were not interested in each other. A tragedy is properly called when neither side gets their love in the marriage, not something like a competition for the guy by two girls...
First, Cao Xueqin is the author of the book, while Gao E's part was not approved by Cao Xueqin since Cao died after writing 80 chapters. Therefore, we should not regard Gao's supplementary chapters as real part of the book. Also, some prominent redologists, such as Zhou Ruchang, has argued that the proper number of chapters should be 108 instead of 120.
Back to your question now.
(1) For sure, Cao intended Jia and Xue to get married, as obviously from the 1st song of 5th chapter.
(2) But definitely not in the way which Gao E imagined.
First, it was ridiculous for a grandeur family like Jia's to play a trick on their children's marriage. You already consider it as odd - imagine what would people of Ancient China take that if it truly happened?
Second, in Gao's version, the supporters behind the scene are Grandmother Jia and Wang Xi-feng. This is even more ridiculous. They have already implied their attitudes in the first 80 chapters that they are for the marriage between Lin and Jia. And there is a legitimate reason for doing so, other than their mutual affections (which actually do not count under such social circumstances): As Lin's father had no male heir and he was extremely rich, Jia's family took over much of the heritage. It is quite understandable that Jias would have a moral awareness that they need to "take care of" Lin Daiyu, and preferably by integrating her into Jia's family.
One of the best predictions, therefore, was that Lin died before she and Bao-yu could enter marriage, and then Jia and Xue got married. also echoing with the verse in chapter 1:
"Who yesterday her lord's bones laid in clay,
on silken bridal-bed shall lie today."
(3)I am Chinese who has a basic academic understanding of this book. Basically, don't read the chapters after the 80th. their quality is simply bad, and is pretty much against Cao's original intentions.
One problem concerning your question is that, Gao's edition somehow turns the tragedy into some kind of farce. As far as we know, there was no love triangle in the fist 80 chapters; Jia and Xue were not interested in each other. A tragedy is properly called when neither side gets their love in the marriage, not something like a competition for the guy by two girls...
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