In contrast to the imperial ambitions that shaped Zhongdu of the Jin Dynasty, Dadu of the Yuan Dynasty was, in Xiong's words, "a shared home for people from across the realm".
The city was home not only to an emperor and his court, but also to ordinary residents whose livelihoods and customs helped shape its character. Different ethnic groups, cultural traditions and ways of life converged there, giving the capital a complexity that extended well beyond the ambitions of its rulers.
Wang says he does not intend to depict the construction of Yuan Dadu as a sequence of engineering achievements. Instead, he wants the act of building a city to generate the drama itself, with the choices, conflicts and actions of its inhabitants driving the narrative.
The staging will combine expressive, impressionistic imagery with carefully observed details. Movable door frames will serve as the central scenic device, shifting between city gates, household entrances and more metaphorical thresholds. As they open, close and overlap, the frames will suggest not only changes of location but also the boundaries between public life and private experience.
Landmarks associated with Yuan Dadu will be distilled into visual elements rather than reproduced as literal backdrops. The aim is to give the ancient city a tangible presence on stage while allowing its physical construction to take on a larger meaning.
The cast brings together performers experienced in historical drama and stage acting. Mongolian actor Bayaneruul will play Kublai Khan, while veteran actor Hou Changrong, widely known for playing Liu Xianglian in the 1987 television adaptation of Dream of the Red Chamber, will portray Liu Bingzhong. Tong Ruixin takes the role of Wen Tianxiang, Hai Yitian plays Guan Hanqing, and Li Yixiao portrays Zhu Lianxiu, a celebrated female performer of zaju, a form of musical drama that flourished during the Yuan Dynasty. Having trained in Peking Opera from childhood, Li will draw on her traditional opera background in shaping the character.
For Hou, the production has offered an unexpected reason to return to the stage. The 66-year-old actor had been preparing to step back from acting when he encountered the script and found himself drawn to Liu Bingzhong's character.
"This role has tremendous appeal," Hou says. "When I first read the script, I was deeply moved by the character. I felt that many of my experiences over the years had prepared me for this role."
He notes that this production marks his first major undertaking in spoken drama. He has drawn on his earlier training in traditional Chinese opera, incorporating elements of its performance techniques and direct engagement with audiences into his portrayal.
"What matters most to me is getting to the heart of the character," Hou says. "I want to understand his essence and use whatever means are necessary to bring that out on stage."
For him, Liu's appeal lies less in dramatic outbursts than in the depth of his convictions and relationships. His bond with Kublai Khan combines the loyalty of a subject with the affection of a close friend, almost a brother. Yet their differing ideals ultimately drive them apart.
The emotional power of the role, Hou says, comes from restraint rather than confrontation, from the complex feelings simmering beneath a composed exterior.
