Xi's stories: Xi commends youth version of 'The Peony Pavilion' for cultural exchange

President Xi Jinping takes part in a deliberation with fellow lawmakers from Jiangsu during the third session of the 14th National People's Congress in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2025. (Photo/Xinhua)

President Xi Jinping praised the youth edition of The Peony Pavilion during a March 5 deliberation with the Jiangsu Province delegation at the annual legislative session in Beijing, highlighting its popularity among young audiences and role in cultural exchange.

Ke Jun, general manager of Jiangsu Performing Arts Group, told Xi the youth edition "has been performed over 500 times in more than 20 years, drawing millions of viewers with many young fans." Xi acknowledged its appeal. "It is indeed popular among young people," he said. "The stage design, costumes and characters are all very beautiful."

The Peony Pavilion, a romantic play written by Tang Xianzu in 1598, tells the love story between a rich official's daughter and a poor scholar. The youth edition, a modern reinterpretation by Pai Hsien-yung, debuted in 2004 in Taipei.

Kunqu Opera actor Yu Jiulin and actress Shen Fengying, who play hero Liu Mengmei and heroine Du Liniang in the youth version of The Peony Pavilion, at Peking University on September 16, 2024. (Photo/China Daily)

This version of the play, performed by cast from Suzhou Kunqu Opera Theater of Jiangsu, has toured China and abroad, earning wide acclaim. The audience gave a 20-minute standing ovation at one overseas performance, according to a People's Daily report.

The Peony Pavilion is a landmark of Kunqu Opera, an ancient Chinese art form combining music, poetry, and dance.

During the meeting on March 5, Xi also recalled his role in promoting cultural exchanges between Hangzhou and Verona, Italy, during his tenure as the Party chief of Zhejiang Province from 2002 to 2007.

"When I worked in Zhejiang, I promoted friendly exchanges between Hangzhou and Verona, two 'cities of love,'" he said. "Hangzhou has the legends of Butterfly Lovers and Madame White Snake, while Verona has the Romeo and Juliet."

Since assuming the Chinese presidency, Xi has made cultural exchange a hallmark of his diplomatic approach. Cultural exchange is a project aimed at "bringing the hearts and minds of the people closer together and building a better future," he has said, a belief he has promoted since his days working in local postings.

(Compiled by Huang Jingjing and Xiao Kexin; Proofread by Chen Lidan and Xu Zheqi)