In world literary sinology Cao Xue-qin's novel A "Dream of the Red Chamber" (Hongloumeng 红楼梦) is unanimously recognized as the pinnacle of Chinese literary classics. By most scholars and readers both in China and abroad perceive this text as one great metaphor. But apart from this and above all, Hongloumeng is a novel of everyday life. The readers can find in it the information about architecture and gardening art, ways of drinking tea and calligraphy, theatre and literary preferences, the art of healing, clothing, utensils, religious lore and rituals, family life, the psychology of human relations of the Qing era, language and dialects. Thus, the uniqueness of Cao Xueqin's novel is that it is a kind of "portal" to the world of the old Chinese way of living. Indeed, even among the richest cultural heritage of China, there is hardly another phenomenon that provides such vast opportunities for the analysis and interpretation of Chinese traditional culture. This unique feature of Hongloumeng will be the focus of the lecture.
Alex Osokin Sinologist, polyglot. Employee of the Institute of Literature of the Pedagogical University of Inner Mongolia, Hohhot (China). Research interests: Taizhou and Donglin schools of Chinese neo-Confucianism. Philosophy of Chinese Buddhism of the Huayan and Chan schools. Chinese xiaoshuo prose of the Ming and Qing periods. Alex Osokin pays special attention to the study of "Dream of the Red Chamber". Teaching experience: 19 years. The author of a blog dedicated to the traditional Chinese culture "Les zapisei": https://vk.com/les_zapisei https://vk.com/id631697537