The Old Pact Between The Tree And Stone
This is an absolutely fascinating poem, though it’s impossible to write about it without spoiling at least some of the story. Jia Baoyu here reflects on his relationship with both Xue Baochai and Lin Daiyu. This is probably best analyzed after you’ve read the entire book; however, since we have already met all three characters, I’ll write a comprehensive interpretation. Be warned that this pretty much spoils the end of the book.
My Translation
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