Tells the story of the changing fortunes of the Jia dynasty, focussing on Bao-yu, married to Bao-chai, after the tragic death of his beloved Dai-yu. Against such worldly elements as death, financial ruin, marriage, decadence and corruption, his karmic journey unfolds. Like a sleepwalker through life, Bao-yu is finally awakened by a vision.

The Story of the Stone Volume 5Note on SpellingPrefaceChapter 99:Unscrupulous minions make use of their master's virtue to conceal a multitude of sins; and Jia Zheng is alarmed to read his nephew's name in the 'Peking Gazette'Chapter 100:Caltrop disturbs an elaborate seduction and inspires bitter resentment; Bao-yu learns of a distressing betrothal and laments an imminent departureChapter 101:In Prospect Garden a moonlit apparition repeats an ancient warning; and a Scattered Flowers Convent the fortune-sticks provide a strange omenChapter 102:Illness descends upon the Jia family in Ning-guo House; and charms and holy water are used to exorcize Prospect GardenChapter 103:Jin-gui dies by her own hand, caught in a web of her own weaving; Yu-cun encounters an old friend in vain, blind to the higher truths of ZenChapter 104:Drunken Dime at large again - a small fish whips up a mighty storm; our Besotted Hero in agony once more - a chance thrust quickens a numbed heartChapter 105:The Embroidered Jackets raid Ning-guo House; and Censor Li impeaches the Prefect of Ping-anChapter 106:Wang Xi-feng feels remorse for the consequences of her past misdeeds; and Grandmother Jia prays for the family's deliverence from further calamityChapter 107:Impelled by family devotion, Grandmother Jia distributes her personal posessions; favoured with an Imperial dispensation, Jia Zheng recieves his bother's hereditary rankChapter 108:A birthday party held for Sister Allspice necessitiates a false display of jollity; and ghostly weeping heard at the Naiad's House provokes a frech outburst of griefChapter 109:Fivey shares a vigil, and receives affection meant for another; Ying-chun pays her debt to fate, and returns to the Realm of Primordial TruthChapter 110:Lady Jia ends her days, and returns to the land of shades; Wang Xi-feng exhausts her strength, and forfeits the family's esteemChapter 111:A devoted maid renders a final service, and accompanies her mistress to the Great Void; a villainous slave takes his revenge, and betrays his masters into the hands of theivesChapter 112:Admantina discharges a karmic debt and recieves a blow from the Hand of Providence; Aunt Zhao concludes a deadly feud and sets out on the road to the Nether WorldChapter 113:Xi-feng repents of her former misdeeds, and entrusts her child to a village dame; Nightengale softens a long-standing animosity, and warns to ter besotted masterChapter 114:Wang Xi-feng ends her life's illusion and returns to Jinling; Zhen Ying-jia recieves the Emperor's favour and is summoned to the PalaceChapter 115:A private obsessoin revived confirms Xi-chun in an ancient vow; a physical likeness verified deprives Bao-yu of an imagines friendChapter 116:Human destinies are revealed in a fairy realm, and the Stone is restored to its rightful owner; mortal remains are transported to their terrestrial home, and duty is discharged by a filial sonChapter 117:Two fair damsels conspire to save the jade, and forestall a flight from earthy bondage; an infamous rogue takes charge of the mansion, and assembles a gang of croniesChapter 118:Provoked by a ranking antipathy, Uncle and Cousin plot the ruin of an innocent maid; alarmed by riddling utterances, Wife and Concubine remonstrate with their idiot masterChapter 119:Bao-yu becomes a Provincial Graduate and severs worldly ties: the House of Jia receives Imperial favour and renews ancestral gloryChapter 120:Zhen Shi-yin expounds the Nature of Passion and Illusion; and Jia Yu-cun concludes the Dream of Golden DaysCharacters in Volume 5Genealogical Tables

“Filled with classical allusions, multilayered wordplay, and delightful poetry, Cao’s novel is a testament to what Chinese literature was capable of. Readers of English are fortunate to have David Hawkes and John Minford’s The Story of the Stone, which distills a lifetime of scholarship and reading into what is probably the finest work of Chinese-to-English literary translation yet produced. You will be rewarded every bit of attention you give it, many times over.” —SupChina, “The 100 China Books You Have to Read, Ranked” (#1)