We cannot belittle ourselves or think too highly of ourselves. It is inherently unfair to compare Chinese literature with literature from around the world. In terms of its literary achievements and world influence, Tolstoy's "War and Peace" is obviously higher than Cao Xueqin's "A Dream of Red Mansions". This is an indisputable fact.
Stills from "War and Peace"
"War and Peace" was written later than "A Dream of Red Mansions", but both works are world-class literary masterpieces. The former is Tolstoy's famous work, and the latter is the result of Cao Xueqin's lifelong efforts; the creative background of the former revolves around Napoleon's army's invasion of Russia in 1812, and the plot of the latter evolves based on the decline of the feudal family. .
In terms of its literary language, "War and Peace" opens a new chapter in Russian literature. Tolstoy's lifelong critic, the arrogant Turgenev, once lamented his lack of writing skills. The literary language in "A Dream of Red Mansions" combines daily spoken language with gorgeous classical poetry, and has also reached the pinnacle of Chinese classical literary creation.