The Nine Cloud Dreams Summary
Kim Man-jung

The Nine Cloud Dreams Overview

Kim Man-Jung's 17th-Century novel is an allegorical exploration of Buddhist themes. As it moves through nested layers of reality, the narrative follows the monk Hsing-chen as he is reincarnated in the form of the ideal man, named Shao-yu. Shao-yu's life is defined by great success and wealth, but he slowly comes to realize the emptiness of such material concerns on his path towards enlightenment. Written in Korean, but taking place in the Chinese Tang Dynasty, the novel uses sex and adventure to explore themes of Buddhist, Confucian, and Taoist thought, the interpenetration of dream and reality, and the question of how life should be lived.