The theory that Wu Weiye was identified as the author of "A Dream of Red Mansions" comes from Fu Bo, president and researcher of the Fushun Academy of Social Sciences, and Zhong Changshan, executive director of the Fushun Local History Research Association. After six years of research, a surprising point was made: the real (original) author of "Dream of Red Mansions" is Wu Meicun, that is, Wu Weiye, and Cao Xueqin was only the important addition, deletion, and editor of the first 80 chapters of "Dream of Red Mansions".
Fu Bo and Zhong Changshan believe that in "Dream of Red Mansions", some terms such as "Mourning Hongxuan", "Yihongyuan" and "Dream of Red Mansions" did not come out of thin air. Only the Ming Dynasty elders in the early Qing Dynasty could write it. In fact, the Ming Dynasty elders also wrote a large number of poems and articles against the Qing Dynasty and the Ming Dynasty in the early Qing Dynasty. Cao Xueqin, who lived in the Yongzhi-Qian Dynasty with strict rules and regulations, would not be so courageous.
Through careful study of "Dream of Red Mansions", we found that the earlier version of "Dream of Red Mansions" recorded: "Wu Yufeng inscribed "Dream of Red Mansions"; Donglu Kong Meixi inscribed "Fengyue Baojian"."
p>"The book "Fengyue Baojian" is the preface of his younger brother Tangcun". After some combination of the above names, the three characters "Wumeicun" appeared. More importantly, compared to Cao Xueqin's difficult situation of maintaining a living, Wumeicun, who had lived in seclusion for 10 years, had the time to write such a masterpiece. ?
Before them, some people in Red Mansions circles had long suggested that there was another author of "A Dream of Red Mansions", but there has been no conclusion. Fu Bo told reporters that even if the real author is not investigated, there is no doubt that Cao Xueqin is just the organizer of "A Dream of Red Mansions".
Fu Bo said that judging from the results of their current research, Cao Xueqin was never said to be the author of "Dream of Red Mansions" from the time it began to circulate. It was not until modern times that after some research by experts, it was finally concluded that the author of "Dream of Red Mansions" was Cao Xueqin.
Fu Bo and Zhong Changshan found a lot of evidence that Cao Xueqin was not the real author of "A Dream of Red Mansions": If Cao Xueqin was the real author of "A Dream of Red Mansions", he would not have insulted Cao in person through the mouths of Jiao Da and Liu Xianglian. The ancestors of the family would not slander his ancestors through Sister You San's dreams.
Moreover, in the Qing Dynasty, when Cao Xueqin lived during the Yongzheng and Qianlong periods, the literary inquisition was harsh. How could Cao Xueqin dare to sign his real name so easily in this anti-imperial novel?
One of the most important reasons for Fu Bo and Zhong Changshan’s views is that by the time Cao Xueqin arrived, the Cao family had already declined. Based on his life experience, it would be impossible to write an emperor-like life scene. If not for the large number of details, Living in it is difficult to describe by imagination.
Extended information
Wu Weiye, also known as Jungong and Mei, was a poet in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. His ancestors lived in Kunshan, and his grandfather first moved to Taicang. When he was young, he "devoted himself to "History" and "Han", and was appreciated by Zhang Pu, who accepted him as his student.
In the fourth year of Chongzhen (1631), he became a Jinshi and was awarded the title of Editor of the Hanlin Academy. Later, he served as lecturer of the East Palace and Imperial College of Nanjing. During the reign of King Fu of the Southern Ming Dynasty, he served as a junior minister. Due to disagreements with Ma Shiying and Ruan Dacheng, he resigned and returned home after only two months in office. He was later promoted to the Imperial Academy to offer sacrifices to the emperor.
Three years later, he returned to his hometown in seclusion until his death. Wu Weiye lived in the Ming and Qing dynasties and hated the peasant rebels and the Qing rulers. He also had no favorable impressions. He always considered it a regret that he had "lost his life" due to his failure to become an official, which was often expressed in his poems.
Wu Weiye was an influential poet in the early Qing Dynasty, and was regarded as "Jiangzuo" by history. "Three Great Masters" - Qian Qianyi, Wu Weiye and Gong Dingzi. However, the only one who is truly qualified to be ranked alongside Qian Qianyi, the leader of poetry circles who is "famous for his talent all over the world", is Wu Weiye. The Qian family is from both the Tang and Song Dynasties, and the Wu family is from the Tang Dynasty. Most of the various schools of poetry in the Qing Dynasty could not be traced back to these two men, which shows their profound influence on the poetry of the Qing Dynasty.
Qian Qianyi praised Wu Weiye's poetic talent with the words " "Use brocade as liver and intestines, use pearls and jade as saliva" (Preface by Qian Qianyi of "Meicun Poetry Collection") to describe the splendor and beauty of Wu Weiye's poetry.
Emperor Kangxi personally wrote the imperial poem titled "Wumei Village Poetry Collection" : "Mei Village is full of romance, and the search has not stopped." The spirit of autumn water is fragrant and snowy, and Xikun is full of deep thoughts about Du Ling. Cut into Shu brocade, it should be beautiful, finer and smoother than spring silkworms. On a cold night, facing each other, how many poems are coming for you to collect. "The appropriate and pertinent high evaluation of Wu Weiye's poetry affirmed the status of Wu Weiye's poetry.
Wu Weiye is the author of fifty-eight volumes of "Meicun Family Manuscripts", "Remaining Poems of Meicun", the legendary "Moling" "Spring", dramas "Tongtiantai", "Linchun Pavilion", historical books "Sui Kou Chronicles", "Spring and Autumn Geography", etc.
Most of them are masterpieces in the ancient poetry garden.
Reference source: Baidu Encyclopedia-Wu Weiye