"Cooking Smoke" is a novel about worldly affairs set in the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China. Through the ups and downs of childhood sweethearts Goudan (Liu Ming) and Yue'er, it shows the struggle, perseverance and rebirth of ordinary people in that turbulent era. The theme of the novel is multi-layered, including a presentation of the tragedy of the times, a celebration of the glory of human nature, and a profound reflection on the concept of "home."
