I once sat next to a girl on a long-distrance train who was reading the final volume of 'The story of the stone'. As she finished the last page she sighed and said, to nobody in particular, 'I can't believe it's finished...I've lived with these people for so long and now it's all over. I'll just have to start it again...' I decided then that I must read the book and have now got to volume 4. Even now, I know that my feelings when I get to the end of volume 5 will be much the same as those of the girl on the train. This is total involvement with a lost culture and will teach you more about China of the period than many a history book. Read it. Live it. Love these exasperating characters. Then start all over again....