Cao Xueqin Collected editions

Cao Xueqin (1715 – 1763) was a Qing dynasty novelist whose Dream of the Red Chamber is considered one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. Drawing on his own family’s rise and decline, Cao crafted an intricate portrait of 18th-century aristocratic life, blending romance, tragedy, and social observation.

The novel’s vast cast of characters, poetic passages, and deep psychological insight make it one of the most studied works in Chinese literary history.

Through Dream of the Red Chamber, Cao Xueqin left an enduring masterpiece of beauty, cultural detail, and emotional depth.