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Rereading the Stone

Kevin Wilson, William Jones

Rereading the Stone is a weekly discussion of historical Chinese literature, philosophy, and poetry, currently focusing on the Qing dynastic Classic novel Dream of the Red Chamber (Hong lou meng 紅樓夢) also known as Story of the Stone (Shitou ji 石頭記).

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  • 21 episodes
  • every few months
  • Avg 54 min
  • English

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Episodes 21

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  • S1 · E99
    Wednesday · 54 min

    Ep. 99: Rereading Hong lou meng 紅樓夢 Chapter 46 pt. 2

    The exciting conclusion to Yuanyang’s heroic proto-feminist refusal! Big scissors are wielded. The truth is revealed, and the stakes are nothing short of life, death, and hair most lustrous. Grandmother Jia reemerges to assert her juridical authority, and Faithful reaffirms her fidelity unto death. Support the show

  • S1 · E98
    July 16 · 56 min

    Ep. 98: Rereading Hongloumeng 紅樓夢 chapter 46 part 1

    Yuanyang 鴛鴦 (Faithful in the Hawkes translation) emerges as an iconic proto-feminist heroine! One of the most important and memorable subplots of Hongloumeng 紅樓夢 (Dream of the Red Chamber), Yuanyang’s refusal of Jia She’s marriage proposal. Is she “faithful,” and, if so, to what or whom? Support the show

  • S1 · E97
    June 4 · 59 min

    Ep. 97: Rereading Hong lou meng 紅樓夢 Chapter 45 part 2

    It’s a poetry-pilled installment of Rereading the Stone! We compare Zhang Ruoxu’s 張若虛 (660 – ca. 720) “Spring River in the Flower Moon Night《春江花月夜》,” featuring a new draft translation, with Lin Daiyu’s 《秋窗風雨夕》, “Autumn Window: A Night of Wind and Rain” in David Hawke’s translation of Dream of the Red Chamber 紅樓夢 (Story of the Stone.) Support the show

  • S1 · E96
    April 25 · 48 min

    Ep. 96: Rereading Hong lou meng 紅樓夢 Chapter 45 part 1

    Xifeng (and her purse) is invited into the Crabflower Club. Meanwhile we review the family relations of lesser characters like Lai Da’s wife and discuss her “don’t spare the rod” 不打不成才 philosophy. Support the show

  • S1 · E95
    March 11 · 58 min

    Ep. 95: Rereading Hong lou meng 紅樓夢 Chapter 44 part 2

    Xifeng is shaking with anger. Is there meaning in the madness? What are the real and imagined consequences of Jia Lian’s transgressions? We try to conceive a contemporary framework for interpreting a tumultuous series of events in Dream of the Red Chamber 紅樓夢. Support the show

  • S1 · E93
    Nov 14, 2025 · 41 min

    Ep. 93: Rereading Hong lou meng 紅樓夢 Chapter 43 part 2

    It’s time for part 2 (earth 土) of Chapter 43 of Dream of the Red Chamber (Story of the Stone, Hongloumeng 紅樓夢), where Baoyu performs a non-performative ritual observance of the death of Golden. We discuss Baoyuean theories of language as use, while also discussing the poetry of Cao Zhi 曹植 (192 – 232), including one “cutting edge” translation. Support the show

  • S1 · E92
    Oct 3, 2025 · 39 min

    Ep. 92: Rereading Hong lou meng 紅樓夢 Chapter 43 part 1

    This chapter (of Dream of the Red Chamber 紅樓夢) admits of dualities? So here in part 1 we cover the first half (gold 金), which involves some extensive bickering over money (including an eyebrow-raising subscription scheme to collect funds for Xifeng’s birthday…) Next episode will cover the second half of the chapter (earth 土). Support the show

  • S1 · E91
    Aug 11, 2025 · 37 min

    Ep. 91: Rereading Hong lou meng 紅樓夢 Chapter 42 part 2

    Daiyu and Baochai exchange literary intimacies, and meta-literary musings! Is reading bad, actually? Or, is it Baochai who is kind of a fascist? Would Baochai reframe from reading her own book? Or is it Daiyu who should be “called out” for her classist joke? “Grannie Liu, more like Grannie Locust?, amirite?” 他是那一門子的姥姥？直叫他是個『母蝗蟲』就是了！ -Daiyu Support the show

  • S1 · E90
    Jul 9, 2025 · 49 min

    Ep. 90: Rereading Hong lou meng 紅樓夢 Chapter 42 part 1

    Suppose your child were born on the seventh day of the seventh month, what would you do? If you saw an immortal soul falling into the well of mortal existence, would you intervene and save them? Suppose you were facing a lifetime of strangely illiquid “tear debt,” would you seek solace in historical novels and plays that serve no clear moral or dogmatic purpose? These and other questions are all addressed in this installment of Rereading the Stone, a podcast dedicated to historical Chinese literature, poetry, and philosophy. Support the show

  • S1 · E89
    May 20, 2025 · 47 min

    Ep. 89: Rereading Hong lou meng 紅樓夢 Chapter 41 part 2

    One of our favorite sections of the text — Grannie Liu takes Baoyu’s bed for a spin, dreaming her own dream of red chambers! A full sensory experience, we compare it to Bayou’s dream from Qin Keqing’s bed. Support the show

  • S1 · E88
    Apr 4, 2025 · 49 min

    Ep. 88: Rereading Hong lou meng 紅樓夢 Chapter 41 part 1

    Granny Liu’s choice of cups (wood is good!) figures prominently in this installment. A wide-ranging discussion of social class and constructed value, as the real and unreal reveal themselves to be deeply interwoven. Support the show

  • S1 · E87
    Feb 12, 2025 · 1 hr 15 min

    Ep. 87: Rereading Hong lou meng 紅樓夢 Chapter 40 part 3

    This part of chapter 40 of Dream of the Red Chamber (Story of the Stone, Hongloumeng) is a lot of poetic fun, but is it purely fun and games? What kind of symbolism and foreshadowing lie within, and will illicit references catch the censor’s gaze? How will Baochai escape the dialectical logic of “takes one to know one”? Is gaming a kind of waking dream? What kind of displacements might be occurring? All these questions, and more, are addressed in this installment* of Rereading the Stone. Support the show

  • S1 · E86
    Nov 18, 2024 · 54 min

    Ep. 86: Rereading Hong lou meng 紅樓夢 Chapter 40 part 2

    More excellent Granny Liu content, as we travel deeper into the garden, soon by means of pleasure craft, with Xifeng at the helm. When withered lotus petals are observed on the surface of the water, Daiyu famously discusses the poetry of Tang poet Li Shangyin. Support the show

  • S1 · E85
    Jun 8, 2024 · 1 hr 6 min

    Ep. 85: Rereading Hong lou meng 紅樓夢 Chapter 40 part 1

    It's Chapter 40 of Dream of the Red Chamber (Story of the Stone, Hongloumeng), and we're accompanying Grannie Liu on her tour of Prospect Garden. In what ways is the garden reflective of, and in dialogue with, Grannie’s Liu’s dreams and desires? What does Grannie Liu accurately perceive on her tour, and where does she project? And what about the “country bumpkin” role that Grannie Liu is compelled to occupy? Is there any method to the maddening interplay of truth and fiction in the garden? Support the show

  • S1 · E84
    Apr 6, 2024 · 51 min

    Ep. 84: Rereading Hong lou meng 紅樓夢 Chapter 39 part 2

    In this episode, we puzzle over Grannie Liu’s arithmetic while questioning how age and social class more broadly inform her interactions with Grandmother Jia. A continuation of our discussion of chapter 39 of Dream of the Red Chamber (Story of the Stone), a classic work of historical Chinese literature. Support the show! https://www.buzzsprout.com/1269965/supporters/new Support the show

  • S1 · E83
    Jan 31, 2024 · 1 hr 1 min

    Ep. 83: Rereading Hong lou meng 紅樓夢 chapter 39 part 1/2

    We treat the first part of Chapter 39 of Dream of the Red Chamber (Story of the Stone, Hongloumeng), as Li Wan and friends wax philosophical on the importance of having good servants to dissipate loneliness... our discussion turns toward issues of social value, and the paradoxes of hierarchy and intimacy. Support the show

  • S1 · E82
    Dec 13, 2023 · 1 hr 6 min

    Ep. 82: Rereading Hong lou meng 紅樓夢 Chapter 38 part 4

    The end (or is it beginning?) of our Chapter 38 review! (This was originally intended to be the first episode we’d release, but it was the last to be recorded, and we forgot to rearrange them.) The final part of our foray into this dense and rich chapter of Dream of the Red Chamber (Story of the Stone). Support the show

  • S1 · E80
    Aug 30, 2023 · 57 min

    Ep. 80: Rereading Hong lou meng 紅樓夢 Chapter 38 part 2

    The Chapter 38 poetry review of Hong lou meng (Dream of the Red Chamber, Story of the Stone) continues! Note: as indicated in the episode, some “creative” post-production editing was performed in order to improve upon and to correct elements of our original commentary. Also note: The Greek painter whose name escapes Kevin in the episode is Parrhasius! Final note: The Leonard Cohen song briefly in question is "Tower of Song." Support the show

Showing 1–20 of 21 episodes