The Three Realms and the Unified State in Dream of the Red Chamber, and the Symbolism of the "Mirror of Love and Desire"
1. The Divine Realm: Origins and Endings — Life as a Journey and the Eternal Theme of Homecoming
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Characters and Roles: The ethereal figures of Monk Vanitas and Taoist Impertinence, embodiments of the Boundless Monk and the Infinite Taoist, serve as both the initiators of the story and witnesses of its conclusion. Their role as "guides" suggests that life is a journey originating from and ultimately returning to its source.
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Life as a Journey: Every step in life draws closer to its ultimate destination. No matter how winding the path, it is an ongoing search for the home of the soul.
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Symbolic Meaning: The Divine Realm symbolizes humanity's quest for ultimate meaning and the exploration of the universe's essence, forming the philosophical backbone of Dream of the Red Chamber.
2. The Celestial Realm: The Stone and Flower Vow — Life as a Play and the Struggles of Identity
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Script and Director: Fairy Disenchantment orchestrates the Illusory Land of Great Void, bringing the Stone and Flower’s predestined story to the stage of fate. Every character performs their role, revealing the struggles of self-perception and emotional entanglement.
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Life as a Play: The Illusory Land represents the theatrical nature of life, where each person is assigned a role. Yet, the essence of humanity transcends the masks they wear.
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Symbolic Meaning: The Celestial Realm delves into identity and emotional confusion, awakening a deeper inquiry into the true self behind life's assigned roles.
3. The Human Realm: The Gold and Jade Marriage — Life as a Dream and the Psychological Analysis of Illusions
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Stage and Dreamscape: The Human Realm mirrors reality, with the opulent households of the Jia family and the Grand View Garden representing fleeting dreams of life’s grandeur. The rise and fall of the Jia household mirrors the transient cycles of human life.
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Life as a Dream: Dreams, though illusory, reflect profound truths about reality. They unveil human desires, confusions, and suffering through psychological projections.
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Symbolic Meaning: The Human Realm critiques and dissects society while uncovering the emotional depth and contradictions within the human heart.
4. The Unified State: Awakening to the Present — The Realm of a Complete Life
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Core Principles: Through the lens of "One Mind and Three Views" (emptiness, falsehood, and the middle way) and the harmony of "Three Truths" (emptiness, provisional existence, and the ultimate truth), the state of complete awakening is achieved.
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Living in the Present: In every moment—whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down—there lies a state of tranquility. Awakening involves not escaping the world but fully integrating into it, transcending the constraints of the three realms.
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A Complete Life: The union of inner wisdom and outward engagement manifests a life that is both grounded in reality and transcendent in spirit, embodying clarity and wholeness.
5. The Treasure: The Mirror of Love and Desire — Reflections of Life
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Direct and Reverse Reflections: The "direct reflection" of the Mirror of Love and Desire symbolizes confusion, representing the distractions of external appearances. Its "reverse reflection" symbolizes awakened wisdom, revealing the inner truth.
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Life’s Reflection: The mirror reflects all facets of life, reminding us to see through illusions with the wisdom of prajñā (true emptiness) and embrace all things with selfless compassion (wondrous existence). This balance awakens us to our authentic nature.
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Symbolic Meaning: The Mirror of Love and Desire embodies the wisdom of "true emptiness and wondrous existence," showing that life’s illusions are opportunities for enlightenment and compassion.
Conclusion
The three realms in Dream of the Red Chamber—Divine, Celestial, and Human—offer a multidimensional interpretation of life as a journey, a play, and a dream. They reveal life’s ultimate purpose while addressing the complexities of emotions and reality. The unified state provides a path to transcend the three realms through wisdom and awakening. By looking into the "reverse reflection" of the Mirror of Love and Desire, we glimpse the truth of existence and learn to live a life of clarity, freedom, and fulfillment. This profound literary work is not only a masterpiece of storytelling but also a philosophical beacon illuminating the path to wisdom.
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