The Tale of Qinpu

Summary of The Last Lamp: Chapter One, A Snowy Night Encounter with Qinpu in the Western Suburbs In the twelfth month of the twenty-fifth year of Qianlong's reign, “I” brave the snow to bring provisions to Mr. Cao (Cao Xueqin), who makes a living painting on fans in a ruined temple at Fragrant Hills, west of the capital. On that snowy night, I hear him explain why he began writing The Story of the Stone. He recalls the former splendor of the Jiangning Imperial Silk Manufacturing Bureau and the misery that followed his family's decline. He says he writes to preserve the memories of his grandmother, younger sister, maids, and other vibrant people, not to criticize or praise them. He also discusses the inspiration behind characters like Baoyu and Daiyu and his ideas for the story. Though he has no hopes of his work enduring through the ages, he remains determined to polish the manuscript.