Learning:
The Journey of a Lifetime
A Cloud Chamber of the Mind

2006 Literature Notebook

Bao-yu. [3, 4, 5, 6] The Stone.

Aroma. [3, 6] A personal maid for Bao-yu.

Grannie Lui. [6] a distant relative of the Zhou Ruis, who asks for support from the Rong mansion.

Zhou Rui's wife [6] a couple employed in the Rong-guo household

Wang Xi-feng ("Peppercorn" Feng) (Mrs. Lian): [3, 6] Wife of Jia Lian, a beautiful young woman (about 18 - 19 years old), who is responsible for much of the management of the Rong-guo mansion.

Patience [6] A maid, and principal confidant, of Mrs. Lian.

Jia Rong [3, 6] 16 year old son of Jia Zhen, of the Ning-guo mansion

Aroma notices that Bao-yu has had a wet dream and soon gets Bao-yu to describe it. He then presses himself on her and she soon lets him have his way with her. She becomes strongly devoted to him.

Grannie Liu arrives at the Rong-gue mansion (over 300 people: family and servants, live in the compound) and soon is successful in obtaining some support from the Jia family.

Zhou Rui's wife approaches Patience about Grannie Lui who decides that she can wait to see Mrs. Lian.

Mrs. Lian meets Grannie Lui, when she is momentarily interrupted by the arrival of Jia Rong, who wants to borrow a glass screen for a meeting tomorrow. Mrs. Lian decides to give Grannie Lui some support.

Here is an old saying that caught my attention: "we country folk have to be grateful for what is in the pot and cut down our appetites to the same measure." [p. 151].

Also, "When you were little your Ma and Pa could afford to indulge you; so now you're grown-up you spend all your money as soon as you've got any, without stopping to count the cost; then, when it's all gone, you start making a fuss. But what sort of way is that for a grown man to behave?" [p. 151]