Performers on stage in Golden Millet Dream.

 By Zhang Lei

Golden Millet Dream, a modern version of an ancient Chinese tale, was staged at Peking University last week, showcasing innovative ideas, magic and acrobatics in a traditional opera genre from the ancient city of Handan, Hebei Province.

Base on legendary work The Story in the Pillow, written in the Tang Dynasty (618-907) by Shen Jiji, Golden Millet Dream follows protagonist Lu Sheng as he meets Lü Dongbin, one of the eight Taoist immortals, who gives him a special green pillow and lets Lu take a nap, while a pot of golden millet cooks on the stove.

Lu falls asleep and has a strange dream - his meteoric rise to fame and then fall from grace due to corruption.

Directed by Bian Faji, president of China Magic Art Committee, the drama is a bold and interesting adapta-tion that enlivens the old art form. The once simple storyline is enhanced by rich artistic expressions, such as modern dance, rap, orchestral scores and stunning lighting effects.

The new approach sees the audience easily absorbed by the dreamy atmosphere that blends dreamscape with reality. The colloquial and humorous lines in Handan dialect also vividly convey a culture both old and new.

In order to preserve Wu'an Pingdiao Laozi Opera, one of China's Intangible Cultural Heritages since 2005, the Handan government has made great efforts to revive the legendary art form, which originated over 400 years ago in the ancient city of Handan.

Golden Millet Dream debuted on May 23, 2009 in Shijiazhuang, the capital city of Hebei Province. Since then it has been performed more than 80 times around the country and has been well received by people from all walks of life.

During the Warring States Period (BC 476-221) Handan was the capital of the Zhao Kingdom and a political, economic and cultural center of northern China. During the Han Dynasty (BC 206-AD 220) it enjoyed a high reputation as one of the five essential cities of China. With thousands of years of history, Handan has inherited a rich cultural heritage, such as Chinese stories, legends, folk arts and tai chi.

Among the hundreds of Chinese stories stemming from Handan, A Golden Millet Dream and Learn to Walk in Handan are the most well known by people today.

Their notoriety is largely due to the promotion of art troupes and the local opera genre.

Wu'an Pingdiao and Wu'an Laozi are two local operas from Wu'an city, Handan. They are often performed together and are usually called Wu'an Pingdiao Laozi.

The art form was popular in revolutionary bases such as Shanxi, Hebei, Shandong and Henan in the 1940s and reached its peak in the late 1950s as it was favored by Chairman Mao Zedong.

Guo Naiqun, 63, a farmer-turned entrepreneur who grew up listening to this style of opera, invested 20 million yuan ($3 million) into the play. He said that he did so to preserve local cultural heritage.

"I would rather lose an iron mine to support the vanishing historic culture," he explained.

Following Golden Millet Dream's Beijing performance, audience member Li Qing said that the opera was sharp and witty and serves as a reminder that corruption is unforgivable.

Wang Shanlin, executive director of the play, said the work has an educational function of advocating honest values. "It is also the expectation of the general public," he explained.

"It successfully integrates traditional martial arts and acrobatics skills with indigenous opera and breaks new ground by smoothly mixing magic tricks, rap and dance," commented Xing Wenzhou, an opera fan from Handan.

As part of a dream culture, the opera also stands as a living fossil, reflecting ancient history and the unique culture of Handan, Xing added.

Wang Meng, renowned writer and former minister of culture, said that the drama expresses people's hatred toward corrupt officials.

"It is not only for fun, but their heartfelt wishes," he said. "People want to have honest officials."

Wang suggested that officials from the Central Committee for Discipline Inspection be invited to see the play.

The work will continue touring China, then travel through Asia.