Chapters 1 & 2 Summary

"The Story of the Stone" is the first volume of a five volume series that tells the story of the prestigious Chinese Jia family. The main story line follows the growing up years of cousins Bao-yu, Dai-yu, and Bao-chai and charts the developing love triangle between these three main characters. Through his novel, Cao Xueqin attempts to describe the lifestyle of a wealthy family. This story is told against the backdrop of a fictional magical stone that has been brought to life in the character of the mischievous boy Bao-yu.

Chapter one opens with the goddess Nu-wa having made too many stones for her task of repairing the sky. The one remaining stone is left sitting at the foot of Greensickness Peak, feeling rejected and useless. A monk and Taoist happen by, and the monk recognizes the stone's magical abilities. He picks up...