Cao Xueqin

Cáo Xuěqín ([tsʰǎu ɕɥètɕʰǐn]; Chinese: 曹雪芹); (1715 or 1724 – 1763 or 1764) was a Chinese writer during the Qing dynasty. He is best known as the author of Dream of the Red Chamber, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. His given name was Cáo Zhān (曹霑) and his courtesy name was Mèngruǎn (simplified Chinese: 梦阮; traditional Chinese: 夢阮).