Mainland college students present Kunqu classic 'The Peony Pavilion' in Taipei

Over the past 20 years, the youth version has attracted generations of young people, including people who were not even born when the production debuted in 2004, according to Hsieh Shan-shan, publicity coordinator of this week's event for its organizer, Taiwan-based Creative Performing Arts Co., Ltd.

"For many people, their first theater experience was the youth version of 'The Peony Pavilion,'" she said. "And many have been surprised that there can be such a beautiful thing and a performing art like that."

The campus youth version staged on Thursday sold out more than 900 seats priced from NT$300 to NT$1,500 (about $9 to $47).

"Some people think traditional opera is something only older generations enjoy, but this 'youth-oriented' version of 'The Peony Pavilion' brings the classic closer to young people and makes it easier for us to connect with it emotionally," said Liao Wei-lun, a third-year college student and traditional theater fan, who also invited his classmates to the performance Thursday.

"There are many young people in Taiwan who enjoy Peking Opera and Kunqu opera, and many of my friends share this interest," Liao said. "I hope there will be more performances like this in the future, and also look forward to exchanging and learning with peers on the mainland who have the same passion."

"For more than 20 years, the enthusiasm and love for Kunqu among the people of Taiwan have remained unchanged. I was pleasantly surprised to see that many high school enthusiasts also enjoyed the performance very much," Pai said in an interview.

"Promoting traditional Chinese culture to the people of Taiwan, especially the youth, carries profound significance. Only when a nation understands its own past can it clearly chart the direction of its future," he said.

In Beijing, Taiwan and many other places -- even the United States -- the youth version of "The Peony Pavilion" has become a brand in its own right, Hsieh said. "Now we can see that the production has been passed down from one generation to the next."