Renowned director Hu Mei's latest movie adapts "Dream of the Red Chamber," fulfilling a long-held ambition to revive interest in the Chinese literary classic.

The cast and crew pose for a group photo at the premiere of "The Dream of the Red Chamber," Beijing, Aug. 11, 2024. [Photo courtesy of Bona Film Group]

Hu's film, "The Dream of the Red Chamber," based on Cao Xueqin's 18th-century seminal novel, offers a fresh take on the story. The project required 10 years of preparation and officially started production in 2017. The cast includes Lin Peng, Bian Cheng, Huang Jiarong and Guan Xiaotong.

Set for national release on Aug. 16, the new movie adaptation has already sparked online discussions and controversies about its plot and casting. Hu said that was exactly what she wanted.

"My original aspiration for making this movie was to bring this story back into current hot topics and regenerate attention," Hu said.

Hu, 65, directed the popular historical TV series "Yongzheng Dynasty" (1999), which was critically acclaimed on the Chinese mainland. Her other hit series include "The Emperor in Han Dynasty" (2005), "Qiao's Grand Courtyard" (2006) and "Cao Cao" (2014). Previously, she had repeatedly said that adapting "Dream of the Red Chamber" for film was her ultimate dream.

"My movie is just one interpretation," Hu said at the Beijing premiere on Aug. 11. "There's a saying that goes, 'There are a thousand Hamlets in a thousand people's eyes.' Similarly, a thousand people have their own interpretations of 'Dream of the Red Chamber.' Given this, even if there are regrets in my version, it doesn't matter. I hope to spark further interest for more works related to the novel."

She added that her perspective on the novel had changed with time. She also noticed that fewer young people are willing to settle down to read it in today's fast-paced digital era. "I wanted to bring it to the silver screen to make it a hot topic again more than 200 years after it was written. As long as it attracts attention, people will pick up the book again."

A poster for "The Dream of the Red Chamber." [Image courtesy of Bona Film Group]

"Dream of the Red Chamber" chronicles the rise and fall of four wealthy families in 18th-century China. The first 80 chapters are attributed to Cao Xueqin, with the last 40 believed to have been written by Gao E. The book is to be semi-autobiographical, mirroring the fortunes of Cao's own family. The story centers on a tragic love triangle involving Jia Baoyu and his two cousins, Lin Daiyu and Xue Baochai.

The novel is considered a masterpiece of Chinese literature and is one of China's four great classical novels. It even spawned a field of study called Redology and inspired a popular 1987 TV series that influenced modern Chinese pop culture.

Hu added modern perspectives and conspiracy elements to strengthen the drama. She also cast young actors to appeal to younger viewers.

"This movie has always been intended for young people," Hu said. "With many young actors in the cast, I felt their vibrant energy and power. I believe their performances will draw more young people to this classic novel. Only when they embrace it can our culture be passed down from generation to generation."

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