{"product_id":"the-story-of-the-stone-volume-i-cao-xueqin-9780140442939","title":"The Story of the Stone (Volume I)","description":"\u003cp\u003eOne of the greatest novels of Chinese literature\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe Story of the Stone (c.1760) is one of the greatest novels of Chinese literature. The first part of the story, The Golden Days, begins the tale of Bao-yu, a gentle young boy who prefers girls to Confucian studies, and his two cousins- Bao-chai, his parents' choice of a wife for him, and the ethereal beauty Dai-yu. Through the changing fortunes of the Jia family, this rich, magical work sets worldly events - love affairs, sibling rivalries, political intrigues, even murder - within the context of the Buddhist understanding that earthly existence is an illusion and karma determines the shape of our lives.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Cao Xueqin","offers":[{"title":"New","offer_id":48473785925875,"sku":"9780140442939","price":35.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0634\/4284\/5939\/files\/9780140442939.jpg?v=1770232138","url":"https:\/\/www.harryhartog.com.au\/products\/the-story-of-the-stone-volume-i-cao-xueqin-9780140442939","provider":"Harry Hartog Bookseller","version":"1.0","type":"link"}