The Study On Interpersonal Communication Of Dream Of The Red Chamber

Based Discourse analysis as the main research method is deployed to study the subject of interpersonal communications in Dream of the Red Chamber as part of efforts to explore the structure and features of how interpersonal communications were done in ancient China and reflect on what interpersonal communications are all about.Interpersonal communications in the novel are divided into two parts-those within the circle of the family and outside the circle of the family, with the latter being dominated by the political community. As such, for the sake of facilitating the research, this paper categorizes studies of the subject into two parts-studies of interpersonal communications within the family and researches of interpersonal communications in the political life. Conclusions are drawn after careful readings of the related text based on the above-mentioned research purposes and contents.The structure of interpersonal communications in the political life can be approached vertically and horizontally. Vertically, the supremacy of imperial power resulted in the alienation of information distribution. As a result, blocking and twisting information served as a strategic weapon of bureaucrats in making a living among the official circles and the emperor reigning supreme became a loner in the world of information. Horizontally, social groups composed of literati and officialdom in feudal China, with strong political involvement, gradually evolved into a political group.Interpersonal communications in the political life were featured by the channel in which information was disseminated as there was enough room for intercepting, deleting and modifying real information when the highly concentrated information network conveyed information downward. In terms of the purpose of interpersonal communications, it became essential for communications in ancient politics to utilize means of dissemination so as to maximize political interests. With respect to dissemination skills, absolute monarchy meant strict classification of superiority and ranks. The absolute inequality among different ranks made two-way communications in the political arena extremely difficult. Subordinates had to protect themselves by playing by the ear and using implicit and mild expressions, among other means of communication.The structure of interpersonal communications within the circle of the family can be viewed as a concentric circle. The kind of interpersonal communications could be characterized by patriarchal-oriented, top-to-bottom way of communication. Information was conveyed from inside to outside layers of the family according to the intimacy of kinships. Closer relationship with the core of the family meant more frequent information exchanges and more diversified ways of communication. Patriarchal focus on vertical communication and communication according to closeness was bound to create obstacles to male-female exchanges and to communication between circles within and without the clan. That is how the family sought to self-adjust, self-defend and prosper through complex dissemination activities.Interpersonal communications within the family were featured by the fact that ethics and morality of Confucianism-based clan system formed the core of interpersonal communications. In terms of domestic training and education within the family, non-verbal communications including gestures and etiquette made measurable differences. The ancient society played well its role of non-verbal communications. Interpersonal communications within the family were featured by cohesiveness, closure, stability and individualism.The structure of interpersonal communications in ancient China went a long way towards the building of a cohesive, stable society. But the same structure was also likely to plunge people into the loss of individuality. What makes Dream of the Red Chamber special lies not only in the authentic description of how people communicated with each other, but also in narration of Jia Baoyu’s rebellion against orthodoxy that reflected Cao Xueqin’s another ideal for interpersonal communications. Jia Baoyu’s peculiarity or craziness actually boiled down to his pursuit for open individualism and independence. The "two worlds" presented in Dream of the Red Chamber determined two distinctively different ways of interpersonal communications and regulation and the novel’s exploration of the "two worlds" reflects on what constitutes the essence of interpersonal communications, that is, the attention to people.