CC.NEWS Toronto, October 31, 2026
This afternoon, the large-scale literary and arts gala “A Journey Through the Dream of the Red Chamber,” hosted by the Canadian Chinese Writers’ Association, was held at the Xin Dong Li Studio in Markham. About 80 performers from the Greater Toronto Area and from communities across Canada took part, and hundreds of audience members gathered to pay tribute to the Chinese literary classic “Dream of the Red Chamber” through a blend of song and dance, opera and poetry recitation, presenting a cultural feast of coexistence in diversity to the maple-leaf country in autumn. Federal Members of Parliament Jean Yip and Chi Yue each sent congratulatory letters.
People in literary circles in Canada and abroad also sent congratulations. Well-known writers Han Shaogong and Xiao Jian offered their congratulations in telephone calls with Yan Fei, chair of the Canadian Chinese Writers’ Association; Li Shaojun, editor-in-chief of the magazine Poetry; Wang Yang, editor-in-chief of the China Writers Network; Lin Sen, vice-chair of the Hainan Writers’ Association and editor-in-chief of Tianya; Zhao Zhi, editor-in-chief of the Writers Network; Zhou Zhanlin, editor-in-chief of the Chinese Poetry Network; and Xue Ma, editor-in-chief of the Hunan Celebrities Network, all sent their greetings. The gala also drew attention from academic circles. Professor Zhao Jianzhong, vice-president of the Chinese Society for the Study of “Dream of the Red Chamber” and president of the Tianjin Research Association for “Dream of the Red Chamber”; Professor Zhang Haowen, a judge for the 11th Mao Dun Literature Prize and a well-known writer; Professor Wang Zuyou, a standard-bearer of posthumanism and executive editor of Commentary and Interviews; and Professor Lin Qi, an expert in classical Chinese literature, all sent congratulations on the complete success of the gala.
The gala was opened jointly by its three hosts, Li Yan, Song Jian and Huang Zanyang.
Yan Fei (Yan Daxia), chair of the Canadian Chinese Writers’ Association and a writer, delivered remarks setting out the aim of connecting communities through literary classics and promoting cultural exchange through the beauty of art.
Federal Member of Parliament Jean Yip sent her representative Patrick to the event to offer congratulations in person and deliver a congratulatory letter, and Patrick read out Yip’s letter.
Li Yan read the congratulatory letter from MP Chi Yue, and chair Yan Fei came on stage to accept it and pose for a photograph.
Pang Jin, vice-chair of the Canadian Chinese Writers’ Association and a leading contemporary writer; Professor Sun Ruixiang, a director of the association and head of the Canada bureau of Gonggong News Service; Hong Tianguo, a veteran of the literary world; and Long Muhua, president of Western Ontario Press in Canada, delivered remarks one after another to celebrate the occasion. The event also displayed Mr. Pang Jin’s calligraphy, “Congratulations on A Journey Through the Dream of the Red Chamber.”
As one segment of the event, a launch ceremony was held for the new book “A Journey Through the Dream of the Red Chamber,” a collection of classical-style poetry. The author, Yan Fei, Patrick, representing MP Jean Yip, and the three hosts unveiled the book together, and all those present posed for a group photograph, witnessing the crystallization of poetic devotion and a bond with the Red Chamber, and the inheritance and flowering of Chinese poetic tradition in the maple-leaf country.
In the first half of the performance, Huang Yan’s solo “Gazing in Vain” was the first to summon the dream;
the Han Meng Ni Chang dance company’s “The Flower Command” from A Journey Through the Dream of the Red Chamber, with sleeves fluttering;
the Canadian Recitation Arts Troupe’s “A Farewell to Xiaoxu of the Red Chamber.”
the Canadian Recitation Arts Troupe’s “A Song for Zhang Li of the Red Chamber.”
Jian Dai (right) gave a heartfelt recitation of Chen Xiaoxu’s poem “I Am a Willow Catkin”;
the Toronto Yue Opera Troupe’s Yue opera “A Lin Sister Falls from the Sky,” lilting and vivid;
the Maple Leaf Club’s dance “Song of Burying the Flowers,” interpreting feeling through movement and fully evoking the mood of the Red Chamber.
and Chen Rong’s dance “Lament of Burying the Flowers.”
Leaders of some of the co-organizing organizations delivered remarks and posed for a photograph with Yan Fei; from left to right: Wang Xianming, Lu Jie, Zhang Xiaoyan, Yan Fei and Huang Yan.
Guests from community organizations spoke in turn. From left to right: Zhang Xiaoyan, Zhou Zhihua, Zhu Fengjie, Yan Daxia, Tiemuer, Lü Tong, Yang Hong, Zhong Sheng and others.
Wang Quanlei (holding the microphone), head of the Hainan Hometown Support Group, delivered remarks, in which hometown ties and literary fellowship blended.
The second half of the performance continued to shine.
Wei Tao and Liu Yu performed the poetry recitation with music “Yan Daxia’s Journey Through the Land of Wine,” accompanied by the Do-Re-Mi Band;
Yan Daxia recited the poem “Yan Fei Recalls Old Friends on Qixi,” with Anna Shen dancing;
the women’s choir of Huang Yan’s Vocal Studio sang “Song of Qingwen” and “Wind and Rain at the Autumn Window at Dusk”;
Shangpin Dongfang Art Space’s dance “A Garden Visit from Dream of the Red Chamber,” elegant and lively;
the Canadian Recitation Arts Troupe’s poetry recitation “A Journey Through the Dream of the Red Chamber”
the Maple Leaf Club’s dance “Wind and Rain at the Autumn Window at Dusk,” from A Journey Through the Dream of the Red Chamber;
the Dong Feng Cai Multicultural Arts Troupe led the singing of “An Unforgettable Night”;
All the performers came on stage for a joint chorus, bringing the atmosphere to a climax. The three hosts delivered the closing remarks, offering sincere thanks to the organizers, the co-organizing organizations, all performers and backstage workers, and guests from all sectors.
Local guests attending the Canadian Chinese Writers’ Association’s A Journey Through the Dream of the Red Chamber were: Ai Fengxia, president of the International Arts and Culture Protection Association; Zhu Fengjie, president of the Canadian Chinese Media Journalists Association; Tiemuer, president of the Canadian Universities Federation; Zhang Xiaoyan, vice-chair of the Water Cube Art Centre; Zeng Cheng, president of the Canada-China Economic and Trade Cultural Exchange Association; Lin Ye, president of the Hainan Fellowship Association of Canada; Yang Hong, vice-president of the Canadian University Literary Society; Lü Tong, president of the Canada Good Life Network; and Zhong Sheng, president of the North American Tai Chi Association. Also present were the heads of the co-organizing performance groups — the Canadian Recitation Arts Troupe, Huang Yan’s Vocal Studio, the Toronto Yue Opera Troupe, Shangpin Dongfang Art Space, the Maple Leaf Club, the Han Meng Ni Chang Company and the Dong Feng Cai Multicultural Arts Troupe — namely Wang Xianming, Huang Yan, Lu Na, Wang Lan, Xie Ru, Lu Jie and Lin Lin. The Canada Caring Lions Club sent 10 volunteers to assist with logistics.
The gala’s executive directors were Chen Rong and Li Yan. Stage management was handled by Lu Jie, Jian Dai and Li De, and general affairs by Feng Wenjun, Zhu Jianxin and Li Min. Heads of the co-organizing organizations served as producers. Photographers included Ying Yun and Wang Yongfu. Zhang Jin handled background playback, and Wang Xiuqin was stage director. The gala’s overall director was Yan Fei.
Yan Fei, chair of the Canadian Chinese Writers’ Association, said the event was both a heartfelt tribute to the literary classic “Dream of the Red Chamber” and a vivid practice by the association in promoting fine traditional Chinese culture overseas and fostering Canada-China cultural exchange and community integration. The classics do not grow old, and the literary line is ever new; a single page of the Red Chamber carries a thousand years of cultural continuity, while ten thousand miles of maple leaves hold deep feeling for the old home. The event concluded in a shared understanding of nourishing the heart with literature, lighting up life with art and promoting exchange through culture, writing a fine chapter for Canada’s multicultural society in which Chinese culture and the maple-leaf country shine together.
Venue sponsors: June Wu of JLegal Law Firm and James Wang of Xin Dun Security.
