Download or read book Ladies of the Red Mansions written by Xueqin Cao and published by Shanghai Book Traders. This book was released on 2008 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This novel (variously translated into English as A Dream of red mansions, The Story of the stone, and Dream of the red chamber) is said to be an encyclopedia of eighteenth century imperial China. It explores the splendor and dramatic fall of a notable family during the reign of Emperor Qianlong and its characters range from those of the imperial court to humble villagers. This abridged version selected twenty-nine of the novel's women to explore their distinct idiosyncrasies and fate.