Renowed scholar devoted life to classic novel

Obituary Zhou Ruchang

Zhou Ruchang, China's leading scholar of the classic novel A Dream of Red Mansions, died at age of 95 at his home at midnight on Thursday. His death stirred nationwide mourning and excited a new tide of interest in the literary masterpiece, which is important to the Chinese and is thought to have reached unprecedented heights.

Zhou began his lifelong study of the book in 1947. He kept working even from his sickbed, though he had bad eyesight and was almost deaf, and dictated a 12-point synopsis on a new book to his daughter Zhou Lunling, only a week ago.