Zhiyanzhai's comments
Zhiyanzhai was Cao Xueqin's good friend and one of his authors. Zhiyanzhai had left behind a large amount of precious comments in 'Dream of the Red Chamber', of which the most famous were the two parts of' comments 'and' comments'. The criticism usually appeared at the beginning of the novel. It was an analysis and evaluation of the characters, plot, environment, and so on. For example, at the beginning of " Dream of the Red Chamber," Zhiyanzhai had made a detailed comment on Jia Baoyu's appearance and personality: " Baoyu's eyes are shrewd, and the corners of his eyebrows naturally have a unique charm. However, what he saw in his eyes was not the same as what others felt when they thought about it. Although its spirit and aura are not very profound, it has an irresistible attraction." "Baoyu's face is like a silver basin, his eyes are like watery almonds, his eyebrows are soft, and the corners of his eyes have a trace of strength. Although it's not as beautiful as a painting, it has a picturesque effect." The comments appeared at the end of the novel, which was an analysis and evaluation of the character's behavior. For example, at the end of 'Dream of the Red Chamber', Zhiyanzhai had commented on Wang Xifeng's character and characteristics: " Wang Xifeng's methods are exquisite and unstoppable. He is not less intelligent than Dai Yu. It was just an occasional misdeed that made him lose all his conscience. The evil spirit, the evil spirit. It's infuriating!" Zhiyanzhai's comments in Dream of the Red Chamber were one of the most precious and exquisite parts of the novel. It had important reference value for readers to understand the plot, characters, and personalities of the novel.