Buy the one from People's Publishing House, the first edition in 1989. It was revised with the participation of the Institute of Dream of Red Mansions, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, and the annotations are very detailed. As for the price, unless you buy the hardcover version, they are almost the same.
Another: Some publishers publish without annotations, causing some obstacles to understanding, but the price is cheap. Pirated copies are even cheaper.
As for the vernacular version, there is no classical Chinese version of A Dream of Red Mansions, Cao Xueqin It is written in vernacular. Where did the classical Chinese version of Dream of Red Mansions come from?
Regarding restoring the authenticity as much as possible: Most of the Dream of Red Mansions published now are compiled from many early manuscripts and comprehensively revised. As for which manuscript is closer to the original? , Jiaxu version is the earliest and should be closest to the original work.
Jiaxu version: It is called "Zhiyanzhai's Commentary on Stones", also known as Zhiyuan version and Zhiquan version. It is the earliest version discovered so far, with only sixteen chapters remaining. It was discovered and collected by Mr. Hu Shi in 1927. After Hu Shi's death, this book was stored in the Cornell University Library in the United States. (Zhiyanzhai re-evaluation edition in 1754 during the reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty) (Download the photocopy)
Yimao edition: Named "Zhiyanzhai re-evaluation of Stone Records", also known as Zhiyi edition, Zhiyan edition, The final version is written in the winter month of Ji Mao. Forty chapters are preserved (the four-read commentary version of Dongzhi Yanzhai in 1759) (photocopy download)
Gengchen version: named "Zhi Yanzhai's Commentary on Stones", also known as the Zhijing version. 78 chapters saved, 1-80, 64 missing, 67 chapters. Save the most fat reviews and the most complete appearance. Gengchen, 1760. (Download the photocopy)
Qi Preface Edition: Ming Shi Shi Ji, also known as the original version, the upper stone version, the Qi Preface Edition, the Zhi Qi Edition, the Qi Hu Edition, the Qi Ning Edition, the Lithograph Edition, the Shanghai Edition, and the Nanjing Edition. There is a sequence of Qi Polygonum growing there, hence the name. 80 times. (Download the photocopy)
Shu's preface: "A Dream of Red Mansions". Deposit 1-40 times. There is a preface by Shu Yuanwei in 1789 (Jiyou), hence the name. (Download the photocopy)
Listed edition: Also known as Zhiya edition and Erzang edition, there are seventy-eight chapters. Existing Institute of Oriental Research in Petersburg (formerly Leningrad), Russia. 78 times saved, 5 or 6 times missing. Many passages in this version appear to be closer to the original version. (Download photocopy)
Jiachen version: Named "A Dream of Red Mansions", also known as the dream version, the dream version, the dream preface version, the dream narrative version, and the fat dream version. There is a preface by Mengjue Master, so it is also called the preface by Mengjue Master, with 80 chapters. (Download the photocopy)
Zheng Zangben: Save 23 and 24 chapters. It was once collected by Zheng Zhenduo, hence the name. (Download the photocopy)
One Hundred and Twenty Chapters "Cheng Gao Ben System":
Cheng Jia Ben (1791): Full name <
Cheng Yi version (1792): Full name <
Wangfu version: Named Shitouji, also known as Mengfu version, Fu version, and Zhimeng version. It was discovered in a Mongolian palace during the Qing Dynasty, hence its name. 120 times. (Download photocopy)
Yang version: also known as "Dream manuscript version", also known as science version, fat manuscript version, high reading version, 120 chapters. It was once collected by Yang Jizhen, hence the name. (Download the photocopy)
Other critical editions:
A Dream of Red Mansions (120 Chapters Annotated Edition by Yu Pingbo): First edition of People's Literature Publishing House in February 1958, based on the Qi edition. With reference to the Geng version and other revisions, it is the first (first eighty chapters) edition to be compiled based on the fat version, which is a progress in the history of editions. However, due to historical reasons, its impact was very small and it was not accepted by the majority of readers. A new edition was published in 2000, adding Mr. Qigong's annotations. At the same time, it is widely distributed as a series of "Must-read for College Students" and "Must-Read for Middle School Students' Extracurricular Literature Classics". The electronic version is produced based on this version.
A Dream of Red Mansions (edition by Cai Yijiang): This is the version recommended by many people, including Zhou Ruchang. This website provides non-photocopied e-books, without proofreading, or may contain errors and omissions, so it is not recommended for the time being.
A Dream of Red Mansions (three critical editions): This book was originally called "Additional Commentary and Complete Portrait of the Golden Jade Fate", which brings together the owner of the flower protector (Wang Xilian), a mountain man (Yao Xie), and a peaceful idler (Zhang Xinzhi). ) Three comments.
Zhi Ben Hui Xiao Shi Shi Ji (edited by Zheng Qingshan in 2003): The Jiaxu version is used as the base, the missing parts are from the Jimao version, and the remaining parts are from the Gengchen and Liezang versions.