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

2006 Literature Notebook

Aroma. [3, 6, 8, 9] A personal maid for Bao-yu.

Bao-yu. [3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9] The Stone.

Jia Zheng. [3, 9] second surviving male, studious & hard working, now has important post of Under Secretary, married a Miss Wang. He is Bao-yu's father.

Li Gui . [9] Bao-yu's chief groom and servant.

Qin Zhong. [7, 8, 9] younger brother of Qin-shi; Bao-yu's best friend.

Xue Pan. [3, 4, 9] Son of Aunt Xue in Nanking. Xue Pan, "relying on wealth and family pull to protect him from the consequences, had taken another man's life." A playboy with few morals.

Darling. [9] A student at the Jia family school.

Precious [9] A student at the Jia family school.

'Jokey' Jin [9] A student at the Jia family school.

Jia Rui [9] grandson of the schoolmaster Jia Dai-ru.

Jia Qiang [9] a distant relation of the Ning-guo Jias patronized by Cousin Zhen, inseperable friend of Jia Rong.

Aroma helps Bao-yu get ready for his first day of school.

Jia Zheng gives Bao-yu a strong lecture about not wasting his time when he goes to school and warns Li Gui that he will be responsible for Bao-yu's behavior.

Bao-yu and Qin Zhong arrive at school for their first day. All of the students are members of the Jia clan, but "Where many are gathered together the wheat is sure to contain a certain amount of chaff." [p. 206] The older boys give them a rough time, suggesting that since they are both quite attractive they must be lovers. It is mentioned that Xue Pan also preys on the boys in the school who are too terrified to report him.

Jokey Jin notices Qin Zhong and Darling talking to one another and decides to make trouble, accusing them of engaging in a homosexual affair. Jia Qiang tries to stop the trouble by having Tealeaf, one of Bao-yu's pages, start a fight with Jokey Jin. Jia Rui is in charge of the classroom and is unable to keep order and a general fight ensues. Li Gui hears the commotion from outside and rushes in and restores order. Finally Jokey jin apologizes and everyone agrees to not report the event.

The internal relationships among the many inhabitants of the Jui clans are very complex with many individuals holding some grudge or power over other individuals.