Casual chat has creative repercussions

"The significance of the Dream of the Red Chamber goes beyond a novel," says the secretary-general of the Cao Xueqin Society. "It's more like an encyclopedia because it encapsulates the essence of traditional Chinese culture, passed down for centuries. Each time we read it, we learn something new. The novel and its characters have remained alive over the centuries, and have been interpreted through different art forms, including traditional operas and paintings."

The Cao Xueqin Memorial Hall is one of the venues participating in the 14th Cao Xueqin Culture and Art Festival. Located at the foot of western Beijing's Xiangshan Mountain (or the Fragrant Hills), it is a scenic spot and was also Cao's former residence. It is believed that he wrote the Dream of the Red Chamber there, in a small courtyard home, with low, gray brick walls.