Jia Baoyu

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Jia Baoyu (賈寶玉) is the principal character in the classic Chinese novel Dream of the Red Chamber, also known as the Story of the Stone.

Baoyu is the reincarnated Stone of the book's alternate title. In the Jiaxu version, textually the most reliable, Baoyu is the Divine Attendant-in-Waiting at Sunset Glow Palace, reborn in the human realm. He and the Stone are separate, though related entities.

The first chapter describes how one piece of stone was left over from when the sky was repaired by the Goddess Nüwa. Baoyu is the human incarnation of that stone, given a chance to learn the emptiness of human existence. As a sign of his supernatural origin, he was born with a magical jade in his mouth. His name, which literally means "precious jade", was given him in honor of this. The jade and Baoyu share a mystical link, and the story ends after it is lost for good and Baoyu himself disappears.

Baoyu is portrayed as having little interest in learning the Confucian classics, much to the despair of his father, Jia Zheng. He would rather spend his time reading or writing poetry and playing with his numerous female relations. He is nonetheless compassionate and thoughtful (perhaps as a juxtaposition onto the other male characters in the novel).

Baoyu's romance with Lin Daiyu forms one of the novel's main plot lines. However, there are several women that plays an important part in his life. In particular, he is a darling of his grandmother, who dotes on him and occasionally shields him from his father. His wife Xue Baochai and his principal maids ,Pervading Fragrance, and Bright Design,are also worthy of note.

The crater Pao-yu on asteroid 433 Eros was named after him.