Although Cao has tried many themes, morality, the appreciation of beauty, and compassion have remained the three main areas of his writing.
The Red Tiles
is a collection of Cao’s latest short stories. In these stories, he writes beautifully about the complex lives of children facing great challenges. It shows that children's perspectives are not shallow, and that they experience the same cruelty, fear, and depth of life as adults. Cao’s own childhood was filled with miseries and memories of hunger, so he hopes to provide young readers with an understanding of how to treat miseries. His signature language is peaceful, melancholy, and beautiful.