Classic Chinese tales thrive in modern times

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Dancers from the Zhengzhou Song and Dance Theater dressed in Tang Dynasty (618-907) costumes perform A Tang Dynasty Banquet, a five-minute dance, in Henan Museum on Feb 20. LI AN/XINHUA

Ancient cultural relics, archaeological finds and literature gaining in popularity with young viewers.

If it were not for a TV show, Fu Sheng, a scholar who lived during the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC, may have remained an unfamiliar entity to the modern generation.

However, what this scholar painstakingly protected, amid wars and social upheavals, is something that is of paramount significance and considered a classic text by Chinese literati throughout history.

Shangshu, or the Book of Documents, one of the "five classics" of Confucianism, is a collection of prose attributed to the rulers of early Chinese history, which was first compiled during the Western Zhou Dynasty (c.11th century-771BC). Considered a cornerstone of Chinese political philosophy, many of the surviving chapters of the book are from the oral accounts of Fu Sheng.

When the scholar's story was adapted as a stage play for China in the Classics, a variety program presented by China Central Television, audiences were not only enthralled but captivated by an ordinary man's strength and resilience to preserve and pass on a country's cultural ethos.

Nevertheless, it was not an easy task for Tian Qinxin, head of the National Theater of China and the art director of the show, to transform an ancient classic, with its obscure language and detached context, into a one-hour-odd stage show that connects with the people of today.

"The stage is like a miniature film studio," Tian told China Daily. "We have used a blend of expressions and stage performances for our television show ... If we had just focused on academic aspects, we would have ended up with a stereotype show."

China in the Classics is currently in the limelight at the ongoing "two sessions" in Beijing, considering that top-level legislators and political advisers are holding discussions on using creative techniques to revitalize traditional culture.

The 11-episode China in the Classics－which features one classic Chinese book of ancient times in each episode－has received overwhelming praise from viewers. On Douban.com, China's main film and TV critic website, it gained 9 points out of the total 10.

"When we talk about the promotion of traditional culture in a modern context, it is important that it stirs the national spirit and instills creativity," said Tian, who is also a member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. "You have to be true to the history, and keep the narrative vivid and focused. We want people to understand why they are called classics and how they have been integral in the formation of certain elements in our cultural tradition."

Tian and other directors of the show used Fu Sheng's personal experiences and developed specific storylines from two chapters in Shangshu.

One is about Yu the Great, a legendry ruler who was believed to have lived around 2000 BC. He has been venerated for leading the fight against cataclysm and uniting the nine regions, a prototype of China's territorial division throughout history. The other is about King Wu of the Western Zhou Dynasty, who was instrumental in ending the tyranny of the last ruler of the Shang Dynasty (c.16th-11th century BC) and establishing a central government that focused on people's livelihood and the country's prosperity.

"Through the classics, we can see the foundations of modern China, including the political system and the ideas for governance," said Tian."No matter how the history has evolved, their influence is still intact. The classics remind us not to forget our origins and explain where our cultural confidence comes from."

"China in the Classics reminds us that the ancient Chinese culture is not obscure or antique," Shen Haixiong, head of China Media Group, the parent of China Central Television, said in an article published in Qiushi Journal, the flagship magazine of the Central Committee of Communist Party of China, on Monday.

"Classics are the cultural genes that carry the vitality of the nation," he said."A TV show lets rich history shake hands with modern expressions. It is favored by young people and makes classics 'alive'. Its popularity proves the charm of creativity."

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