Dream of the Red Chamber

Dream of the Red Chamber

Commentary

Much Ado About Mealtime

Why Lin Daiyu's first meal is important

Daniel Evensen's avatar
Daniel Evensen
May 30, 2025
∙ Paid

Much Ado About Mealtime

林黛玉薛寶釵 Lin Daiyu Xue Baochai

You’re probably going to get sick of me talking about how these minute details in Dream of the Red Chamber are important.

But the truth is that they really are important. In fact, the scene we just read through yesterday includes pretty clear hints at the politics underlying the women of the Jia family.

So let’s dive on in.

User's avatar

Continue reading this post for free, courtesy of Daniel Evensen.

Or purchase a paid subscription.
© 2026 Daniel Evensen · Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start your SubstackGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture