Since the dawn of creation, who has been the lover true?
All because the wind and moon stirred passion deep.
In these helpless days, these sorrowful times, these lonely hours,
Let me try to voice my foolish heart.
And so is performed this Dream of Red Mansions,
Mourning jade and cherishing gold.
English titles, text, and notes are AI-assisted for reading only; for scholarship cite the Chinese and authoritative editions.
Annotation
The prelude to the Twelve Songs of the Dream of Red Mansions. 'Hongmeng' refers to primordial chaos before heaven and earth separated. 'Cherishing gold and mourning jade'—'gold' refers to Xue Baochai (her golden locket), 'jade' to Lin Daiyu, summarizing the novel's central romantic theme.
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