A Study on the Geography of Dream of the Red Chamber: The Truth Behind "Jiliu Jin" and the Taoist Ferry Crossing

Brief Introduction

"Jiliu Jin" is a key location mentioned in the last 40 chapters (the continuation by Gao E) of Dream of the Red Chamber, situated in the concluding part of the novel. It is often regarded by readers as the ferry crossing where Jia Baoyu finally achieves enlightenment and becomes a monk. It is also the place where the holders of the "Mirror of Moon and Flowers" (Fengyue Baojian)—Mangmang Dashi (The Great Sage of Vastness) and Miaomiao Zhenren (The True Man of Obscurity)—reappear. Although folk traditions or certain interpretations link this location with the plot where Jia Yucun meets a Taoist, in the original text, the core narrative of Jiliu Jin revolves around Jia Baoyu's ultimate destiny. Jia Yucun's encounter with the Taoist occurs much earlier in the novel.

Core Knowledge Points

1. Location and Name: Jiliu Jin, fully named "Jiliu Jin Jue Mi Du Kou" (The Ferry of Awaking from Delusion at Rapid Current). "Jiliu" (Rapid Current) metaphorically represents the danger and turbulence of the secular world, while "Jin" means ferry. The name itself contains the Buddhist implication of "turning back is the shore," suggesting that at this place, one crosses the ferry of life and death delusion and escapes the sea of bitterness.
2. Chapters of Appearance: It primarily appears in Chapter 120 of Dream of the Red Chamber, titled "Zhen Shiyin Details the Emotions of the Land of Illusion; Jia Yucun Concludes the Dream of the Red Chamber."
3. Symbolic Meaning: It is the concrete location embodying the book's concept of "Form and Emptiness" (Se Kong). The ferry represents the turning point from "delusion" to "awakening," serving as a key node for Jia Baoyu's return to Qinggeng Peak and the completion of his "debt of tears" fate.

Connection and Analysis with Book Content

In the narrative structure of Dream of the Red Chamber, there are two main nodes regarding the "Taoist" and the "Ferry," which are often confused by readers:

* Jia Yucun Meets the Taoist (Chapter 2): Early in the novel, Jia Yucun encounters a lame Taoist in Suzhou. The Taoist provides clues regarding the "Mirror of Moon and Flowers" (actually the Stone) and gifts a poem hinting at his path in officialdom and economy. This serves as the introduction for Jia Yucun's involvement in the story and the Stone's descent to the mortal world. The location is not Jiliu Jin.
* Jia Baoyu Crosses Jiliu Jin (Chapter 120): At the conclusion of the book, Jia Baoyu disappears after the imperial examination. He is eventually guided by Mangmang Dashi and Miaomiao Zhenren at the Jiliu Jin Ferry of Awaking from Delusion to return to the Land of Illusion. At this time, Jia Yucun, as one of the witnesses, hears of this event and sighs, "Turning back at Rapid Current is the shore," thereby highlighting the theme.

Therefore, Jiliu Jin is primarily the place of Jia Baoyu's enlightenment, while Jia Yucun's role here is more that of a "concluder" and "observer." He combines Baoyu's ending with his own reflections on his career, completing the summary of the book's theme: "A thousand reds one cry, ten thousand beauties share the same sorrow." This location is not only a geographical ferry but also a spiritual boundary, marking Jia Baoyu's complete severing of worldly ties and signifying the ultimate void after the prosperity of Dream of the Red Chamber has faded.

Conclusion

"Jiliu Jin" is a highly symbolic geographical symbol in the ending of Dream of the Red Chamber. Although Jia Yucun plays a role in connecting and highlighting the theme, the core function of this location is to provide a spatial carrier for Jia Baoyu's monastic life. Understanding Jiliu Jin helps in grasping the book's philosophical loop: "From emptiness, form is seen; from form, emotion arises; emotion is transmitted into form; from form, emptiness is realized."