Topic: The Unseen Dream of the Red Chamber:  Paradigm Shift in Redology Research

Date: 30^th August 2021 (Wednesday)

Time: 7:30 pm-9:30 pm

Venue: The Cube, FSSS, UM

Speaker: Prof. Sebastian Liao Hsien-hao (National Taiwan University)

Moderator: Dr. Teoh Hooi See (Universiti Malaya)

Recap:

On 30 August, 2023, we are honored to invite the distinguished Professor Sebastian Liao, dean of the Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities and Social Sciences at National Taiwan University. Professor Liao began by highlighting the diverse interpretive approaches within the Redology research. His approach aligns with the “Hidden Meaning”, involving a reinterpretation of the metaphors in “Dream of the Red Chamber” that reflect the social realities of the era. To delve deeper into the novel’s intricacies, he emphasized the importance of passing through three keypoints: the first involving “concealed truths and preserved fiction,” the second revolving around the dual beginnings of the story in “Dream of the Red Chamber,” and the third pertaining to specific lines spoken by the Goddess Disenchantment (Jinghuan Xianzi) in the novel.

Professor Liao posited that the essence of “Dream of the Red Chamber” extends beyond mere beauty and romance to encompass themes of mortality. It prompts us not only to appreciate its positive aspects but also to acknowledge its stark reflections of the harsh realities of society. Professor Liao underscored that “Dream of the Red Chamber” transcends historical records, offering social metaphors that are not only credible but also approach the authenticity of real history. His thirty years of research and contemplation on “Dream of the Red Chamber” culminated in “Why Can’t Heaven Be Mended?: National Allegory and Anti-Manchu Sentiments in Dream of the Red Chamber.”