Chairman Mao remembered on Chongqing stage

The late Chinese leader Mao Zedong has again been remembered through a stage play. "Mao Zedong's Reverie at Xibaipo" has premiered in Chongqing of southwest China.

The drama explores the statesman's profound thinking on China's fate at the dawn of the founding of the People's Republic.

"Mao Zedong's Reverie at Xibaipo" has premiered in Chongqing of southwest China.

The play probes the leader's thoughts at the historical place Xibaipo, former headquarters of the Communist Party of China.

The political drama is produced in the genre popularized in the beginning of 20th-Century Europe. In general, dramas of the era served a writer's political intentions and were often meant to arouse the masses.

Meng Bing, script writer of "Mao Zedong's Reverie at Xibaipo", said, "Such dramas allow the characters to directly and openly express their political views and positions as well as their philosophical thoughts and debates. With frequent time and space conversion, the characters can conduct dialogues with many political figures of different eras."

Liu Jin, actor of "Mao Zedong's Reverie at Xibaipo", said, "This drama has broken away from the conventional way of expression. The director used many methods of stream of consciousness. It's generally about a dream of Mao Zedong before the founding of new China. Audiences can strongly feel the spiritual power of the leaders."

In the play, as Mao spends time deep in thought, his family members appear as well as other historical figures like Lenin, Stalin, Chiang Kai-shek, and even the Ming Dynasty rebellion leader Li Zicheng.

Gong Xiaodong, director of "Mao Zedong's Reverie at Xibaipo", said, "History is actually a process of encounters and misses. The great man Mao Zedong was in such a process when he met with historical figures and events."

The drama was presented by the Modern Drama Troupe of the PLA General Political Department and collected the troupe's most powerful players for creating and performing.