Fengrun Cao Xueqin Park

Fengrun Cao Xueqin Park

Cao Xueqin Park is located in Fengrun District, Tangshan City, Hebei Province. It is an important urban and cultural construction project, serving as an upgrade and renovation of the Huánxiāng River Park. The aim is to further promote the culture of Redology and establish a cultural industry brand. The project covers a planned area of 1,650 mu, including 1,230 mu of green space, 420 mu of water area, with a total investment of 1.5 billion yuan. The project will fully tap into the cultural resources of Cao Xueqin’s ancestral home in Fengrun, explore the historical and cultural characteristics of the region, and create a public comprehensive urban park that integrates ecology, tourism, leisure, and entertainment, all with a strong Redology cultural theme. It serves as a showcase platform for both Redology and regional culture, as well as a renowned domestic and international film and television shooting base.

The landscape design of Cao Xueqin Park follows the global trend of urbanistic landscape development, extending natural ecological forms into the park. The overall landscape structure consists mainly of two rings, five zones, and eight scenic spots.

Two Rings: Referring to the ring-shaped water system and ring road around the park. The flowing characteristics of the Huánxiāng River define the unique identity of the park. These features are to be continued, dredged, and enhanced, while regional cultural elements of Fengrun and historical human and natural landscapes related to the Huánxiāng River are arranged along the waterway to create a constantly changing garden art effect as visitors move through the space.

Five Zones: Referring to the five major functional areas. These include the Lakeside Landscape Zone, Cultural Landscape Zone, Park Leisure and Supporting Service Zone, Ecological Interaction Experience Zone, and Ecological Club Zone. The Lakeside Landscape Zone mainly features square leisure, water recreation, and lakeside sightseeing activities. The Cultural Landscape Zone primarily focuses on eco-culture and nature appreciation themes, including Cao Xueqin’s ancestral cultural elements, cultural displays at Daguan Tower, plant-themed gardens, native plant gardens, wetland landscapes, and pagodas. The Park Leisure and Supporting Service Zone includes functions such as a Qing-style ancient cultural street linked to the long-term cultural development of the new city, children’s entertainment facilities, educational services, and other supporting amenities. The Ecological Interaction Experience Zone emphasizes participatory activities such as leisure interaction and plant viewing. The Ecological Club Zone mainly provides high-end business reception and catering services.

Eight Scenic Spots: Representing eight major historical human and natural sites in Fengrun. The park's landscape primarily highlights the culture of the Cao family’s ancestral home, integrating the “Eight Scenic Spots of Fengrun” (such as Sunset Glow, Inkstone Moisture from the Han Mansion, Wild Geese over Sandy Plains, Foliage-Covered Qinling Ridge, Scholar Unearthing the Tripod, Dragon Well Surging Waves, Lucky Black Horse, and Miraculous Spring Gushing Forth) into the park. Through thoughtful design and arrangement, these cultural elements are presented anew to visitors in the form of scenic attractions.

Cao Xueqin (circa 1715–circa 1763) was the greatest novelist of China’s Qing Dynasty. His given name was Zhān, courtesy name Mèngruǎn, and his pseudonym was Xuěqín; he also went by Qiánpǔ and Qínxī. His ancestral home was in Liaoyang. His forebears were originally Han Chinese but later became “Booi Aha” (bondservants) of the Manchu Plain White Banner, thus considered part of the Banner system. He is the author of China’s classic novel *Dream of the Red Chamber*. Written during Cao Xueqin’s later years of hardship, the novel was originally titled *The Story of the Stone* and consisted of 80 chapters in its initial manuscript form, which circulated in handwritten copies. In 1791, Cheng Weiyuan and Gao E published the first printed edition using movable type, expanding the work to 120 chapters and renaming it *Dream of the Red Chamber*.

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