Which of the Four Great Masterpieces was the latest to be written? The answer was 'Dream of the Red Chamber'. "Dream of the Red Chamber" was written in the late 18th century and early 19th century, about 200 years earlier than "Journey to the West" and "Water Margins" and about 200 years later than "Romance of the Three Kingdoms". Although 'Dream of the Red Chamber' was written relatively late, it was the most famous of the four great masterpieces and also a classic in the history of Chinese literature.