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This is a draft slightly edited from the Chinese Wikipedia article, 紅學 It is restored from

Redology (simplified Chinese: 红学; traditional Chinese: 紅學; pinyin: hóng xué) is the study of the novel Dream of the Red Chamber, one of the Four Classics of China. There are many researchers in this field, most can be divided into four general groups. The first group is the commentators, such as Zhou Chun, Xu Fengyi, Chen Yupi, and others. The second group is the index group, which mainly includes Wang Mengruan and Cai Yuanpei. The third group is the textual critics, including Hu Shi and Yu Pingbo. The final group is the literary thought group. There are quite a few researchers in this group, most notably Zhou Ruchang.

1. Critical thought - comprising scholars such as Zhou Chun, Xu Fengyi and Chen Yupi.
2. Allegorical thought - comprising scholars such as Wang Mengruan and Cai Yuanpei.
3. Investigative thought - principally Hu Shi, Yu Pingbo and Zhou Ruchang;
4. Literary thought.

Intensive and Extensive Research

Professor Liang Guizhi divides redological research into two areas: intensive research, or research into realist novels of ancient times as represented by Dream of the Red Chamber, and extensive research, which deals with texts written on its setting and background.

There are four branches of intensive research:

1. Cao Studies

   research into the family history and life of Cao Xueqin and how he is related to the novel.

2. Comparative Studies

   chiefly concerned with distinguishing between Zhi Yanzhai's editions (of which there are currently more than thirteen) and the unadulterated original (block-print edition). Research in comparative studies is also primarily involved with handwritten copies as they may bear closer resemblance to the original manuscripts.

3. Zhi Studies

   as Zhiyan Zhai (aka Rouge Inkstone) was known to be a close friend of Cao Xueqin through whose notes can be found the original plot of chapters 80 onwards and anecdotal evidence of real-life circumstances from Cao's life.

4. Investigative Studies

   investigate or attest the plot of the final 28 chapters in reference to that of the first 80. (According to Zhou Ruchang there were only approximately 110 chapters in the original version)

Research in later periods are built on these foundations. For example, recently, renowned writer Liu Xinwu has authored Qin Studies, the culmination of a decade of research into Qin Keqing's pioneering research on Dream of the Red Chamber.

Redological Schools

Most people believe that these can be divided into three schools: allegorical, archetypal and literary.

Professor Liang Guizhi believes that there are four schools of redological study:

1. The school of literary criticism initiated from a Western literary perspective of the novel, adopted by Wang Guowei from the philosophical thought of Schopenhauer.
2. The school of allegory that links Dream of the Red Chamber to historical events during the Qing dynasty, later represented by Cai Yuanpei, or Bao Jiadong's claim that the novel is a general account of culture within the Eight Banners system of the Qing dynasty.
3. The largely refuted school that claims, as in Divided Dream of the Red Chamber co-written by Huo Guoling, Huo Lijun and Huo Jiping, that Cao Xueqing wrote the novel for a girl whom he admired, who later entered the palace as consort to the Yongzheng Emperor; Cao, in order to realize his political ideals, plotted with her in the fatal poisoning of the emperor, but was then usurped of would-be political rights by the Qianlong Emperor.
4. The investigative school as represented by Hu Shi and Yu Pingbo, advocating that the novel was in at least some part autobiographical; this school is the brainchild of Zhou Ruchang, the founder of the comparative studies branch and the initiator of the school of literary thought within redology. Zhou is responsible for raising redological research to its peak within Chinese culture and for creating its current sense of reverence and prestige while at the same time pointing out its failings; he believes that Dream of the Red Chamber is a 'universal key' to the culture of China.

Redological Debates and Mysteries

Liu Mengqi's survey of a century of controversies among Chinese intellectuals over the novel found Seventeen Debates, here listed in roughly chronological order:

• Seventeen Debates

1. The debate of the 1920s betweenHu Shih and Cai Yuanpei.
2. Whether Dream of the Red Chamber is set in Nanjing or Beijing.
3. Are the feet of the female characters bound or not?
4. Debate in 1954 when Mao Zedong attacked Yu Pingpo.
5. Li Xifan and He Qifang's war of words
6. Regarding "Fen Gua" and "Dian Xi Qiao"
7. When did Cao Xueqin die?
8. The debate between Wu Shican and Yi Tengshu on "The Introduction of Tang Cun"
9. The authenticity of "Fei Yi Zhai Ji Gao" (a piece of work with a title that means "The Collected Drafts of the Studio of Abandoned Arts")
10. The extent of autobiographical elements.
11. Regarding the "Shi" Poem by Cao Xueqin.
12. Is Cao Xueqin the real author of the novel?
13. The value of thirty years of redology.
14. What exactly is redology?
15. The debate between Fan Conkui and Xu Fuguan.
16. Discussion of the Two Worlds of the Red Chamber by Zhao Gang and Yu Yingshi
17. The debate between Tang Degang and C.T. Hsia (Xia Zhiqing)

• Liu Mengqi also lists "Three "Dead Knots," that is, knots that can not be untied or mysteries which cannot be solved:

1. Who is Zhiyan Zhai (Rouge Inkstone)?
2. Who is the son of Cao Xueqin (or who succeeded Cao)
3. Who is(are) the Author(s) of Chapter 80-120?

Notes

Category:Chinese literary schools Category:Chinese culture Category:Dream of the Red Chamber