Its central question, she says, extends well beyond the historical world of the characters.
"What kind of achievement are you chasing, and what kind of monument are you trapped by?" Yu asks. "In the play, people are trapped by the pursuit of official success or the expectations represented by the chastity arch. Today, it might be a professional title, a house, money, or other people's expectations."
Yu hopes younger audiences will recognize themselves in the characters and reconsider whether what they pursue is worth the sacrifices they make.
For Yu, making the play has also been a personal exercise in confronting ambition and anxiety. At 32, she says she too can get caught up in the pressure to keep improving and surpassing herself.
The work's contemporary concerns are matched by an effort to preserve the artistic identity of Huaiju Opera, known for a musical style often described as powerful and emotionally expressive. Yu believes that innovation should not come at the expense of the genre's distinct vocal traditions.
