Beginning Of The Garden
Today we get the first look at what will eventually become the most important location in all of Dream of the Red Chamber.
My Translation
Jia Lian woke up the next morning, went to briefly see Jia She and Jia Zheng, and then went straight over to the Ningguo Mansion. He met there with some of the older household servants and some of the resident scholars from families close to the Jia family. They went out together to inspect the grounds of both houses and drew up plans for the reception halls and pavillions that they would need for the coming imperial visit. They also looked into how many people they would need for the project.
From that day on, artisans and laborers of every trade assembled together. Gold, silver, copper, tin, timber, earth, bricks, tiles, and other goods were constantly coming in.
The workers started off by dismantling the walls, towers, and pavilions of Ningguo Mansion’s Huifang Garden. This opened up a direct connection to the eastern side of the Rongguo Mansion. Meanwhile, the entire row of servants’ rooms on the eastern side of the Rongguo Mansion was demolished.
Although there was a small alley that prevented the two mansions from connecting, the land was private property, not a public road. And so it was naturally possible to join the two compounds.
The Huifang Garden already had a source of running water that came in from the northern corner of the now demolished garden walls, which meant that there was no need for a new water supply. Though the rocks, trees, and garden features of the old garden would not suffice, Jia She’s residence included the original garden of the Rongguo Mansion. Its bamboo groves, trees, rocks, pavilions, terraces, balustrades, and so on could all be relocated and reused. In fact, since that garden was also very close by, the two could be combined into one, which would save considerable expense and labor. Rough estimates suggested that the additional financial outlay would be relatively low.
All of this was thanks to an old master named Hu, who they called “Mountain Wilds.” He drew up every detail of the plans and supervised the entire construction process.
Translation Critique
Hawkes
David Hawkes translates 老管事的家人等並幾位世交門下清客相公們 as “a group consisting of the older stewards and domestics and a few friends and clients of the family.” This isn’t entirely correct. 老管事的家人 clearly refers to older family servants. However, 世交門下清客相公 refers specifically to resident scholars living with the Jia family who have long standing close family relationships.
Hawkes notes here that “the All-scents Garden had been watered by a stream led in by a culvert which ran under a corner of the north wall.” A culvert is a channel that crosses under a road or a railway to drain water.
Yang
The Yangs refer to the water that ran under the wall as a “stream.” In this case, I think the David Hawkes translation is probably more accurate.
Chinese Text
次早，賈璉起來，見過賈赦賈政，便往寧國府中來，合同老管事的家人等並幾位世交門下清客相公們審察兩府地方，繕畫省親殿宇，一面參度辦理人丁。自此後，各行匠役齊全，金銀銅錫以及土木磚瓦之物，搬運移送不歇。先令匠役拆寧府會芳園的牆垣樓閣，直接入榮府東大院中。榮府東邊所有下人一帶群房已盡拆去。當日寧榮二宅雖有一條小巷界斷不通，然亦系私地，並非官道，故可以聯絡。會芳園本是從北牆角下引了來的一股活水，今亦無煩再引。其山樹木石雖不敷用，賈赦住的乃是榮府舊園，其中竹樹山石以及亭榭欄杆等物，皆可挪就前來。如此兩處又甚近，便湊成一處，省許多財力。大概算計起來，所添有限。全虧一個胡老名公，號「山子野」，一一籌劃起造。
Translation Notes
When the Chinese original mentions 會芳園本是從北牆角下引了來的一股活水，今亦無煩再引, or the fact that there was already a source of water from the northern corner of the old garden walls, keep in mind that the walls had already been demolished. It seems that this water source likely came from some sort of pipe running under the old walls.
all the parts that have to do with the construction of the garden are really interesting and beautiful so I'm really looking forward to it