The painting "Li Xu Making Merry" was one of the most beautiful works to be auctioned at the Beijing Council International Auction last year. The painting was sold for 18.63 million yuan ($2.99 million).
The piece was painted by artists Zhou Dao and Shang Tui in 1695 and is seen as crucial to the study of Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) classic "A Dream of Red Mansions." Li Xu, the main character in the painting, had a relationship with Cao Xueqin, the author of the classic novel.
A forum was organized on Jan. 24, Saturday, in Beijing by the Council Auction in order for scholars to share their studies and research on the relationship between Li and Cao.
Li's relationship with Cao started with the author's grandfather Cao Yin (1658-1712). Both were then government officials and held in high regard by the Kangxi Emperor. Li arranged for Cao Yin to wed his sister, which deepened the relationship between their families.
During the time of Yongzheng Emperor (1722-35), both their families fell from grace. This decline is what inspired Cao Xueqin's novel. In 1727, Li was transferred to a remote village and died two years later.
The fall of the two families is seen as important sources for the study of "A Dream of Red Mansions." The novel's cultural value is as much as its literary value.
The novel has a preface and postscripts by twelve people including Cao Yin himself. This added a remarkable value when the painting "Li Xu Making Merry" appeared in the auction market.