A life that speaks for many

What would you do if you are forced into a nearly impossible task? To quit or go all out, that is the question for Li Shande in The Litchi Road, a play adapted from Ma Boyong's popular eponymous novel that premiered on May 22 at Theatre Above in Shanghai.

The play tells of the nearly impossible mission unexpectedly assigned to a low-ranking official named Li Shande in the Tang Dynasty (618-907). Designated as a "Lychee Ambassador", he had to transport fresh litchi fruits, which spoil quickly, over thousands of miles from Lingnan in South China to the Tang capital Chang'an (now Xi'an, Shaanxi province) within a very short time and under harsh conditions. Lingnan refers to areas in Guangdong, Hainan provinces, the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, and Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions.

The original novel is a semi-fictional creation based on true stories in Chinese history. In the Tang Dynasty, Emperor Xuanzong's favorite consort Yang Yuhuan (Yang Guifei) had a penchant for litchi fruits, which grow in faraway southern China and easily decay during transportation. To satisfy Yang's desire, the emperor dispatched military messengers to transport the fruits from southern China to Chang'an. The story became widely known along with a Chinese poem criticizing their luxurious lifestyle: "A steed rides through the dust, which pleases the imperial consort. No one knows it is the arrival of fresh litchi fruits on time."

Against the backdrop of the actual history and with Li as a fictional character, the novel sheds light on society and officialdom in the ancient dynasty, reflecting challenges in the modern world at the same time.

The original book, published in 2022, has also been adapted into a film and a TV series, both of which will hit screens later this year. Compared with the other two adaptations, the play takes a unique approach in presentation and expression, featuring more vibrant body movements and a special stage design using LED tube lighting to better connect to the modern world, said Li Mengze, director of the play, at a meeting on May 21 in Shanghai.

"We are not seeking to tell the story in a totally ancient or modern way, but want to bridge the past and the present through the play," says the director. "We stick to traditional costumes of the Tang Dynasty on one hand, and explore a refreshing visual presentation combined with modern elements at the same time. It is not only the story of how Li Shande completes the impossible, but it also indicates the challenges and choices that everyone is facing at different times."

One big challenge for Li Mengze and the performers in the play adaptation is how to present the full plotlines and different roles in two and a half hours. Rising theater star Song Tianshuo, who played the role of Li Shande at the Shanghai premiere, impressed the audience with an astonishing amount of movements and lines to show his great efforts on the transportation route in calculating and planning.

"Playing the role of Li Shande is exhausting but so enjoyable, although it is almost worth two plays in terms of the number of lines and running time," says Song, describing Li Shande as "reserved, kindhearted and virtuous". "What connected me most to the role is that he always sticks to his true heart and bottom-line principles. No matter who we are and what we do, we can all see ourselves reflected in this role."

Song's ideas echo with the production team. With the play telling the story of an ordinary character, they hope that each audience member — just like Li Shande — can realize how capable they are and what potential they have to deal with impossible situations, and thus gain courage, confidence and see the hope and beauty that life has to offer.

Ren Xueying, producer of the play and deputy general manager of Xi'an Performing Arts Group, said at the meeting: "Li Shande is every one of us who keeps running for life, bound by rules, but always bursts with resilience at the most critical moments."

Following its premiere in Shanghai, the play will hit the stage in Xi'an soon and many other cities across China this year, such as Ningbo and Hangzhou in Zhejiang province, Shenyang in Liaoning province, Kunshan in Jiangsu province, Haikou in Hainan province and Nanchang in Jiangxi province. Moreover, the team is looking to present the play on global stages, aiming to captivate overseas audiences with brilliant traditional Chinese culture, universal expressions and a shared inspiration for global youths when facing life's challenges.

"We saw young, knowledgeable fans of plays in Shanghai, and observed a flourishing theater scene across China in recent years. We are confident that more young audiences will go to theaters to see plays. The Litchi Road is produced by a young team, and we hope to strike a chord with more young audiences — not only in China, but also worldwide," says Ren.