Loyal son of the soil

Chen found out that after Wang was invalided out of the army, he was once offered a chance to be a financial supervisor for a local company. And some of his friends also asked him to join them to run a business at a flourishing wholesale market in Korla. However, he just declined the lucrative opportunities. Instead, he chose to do volunteer labor to green the city.

"In some people's minds, Wang is a hero who has devoted himself to bringing benefit to the city and its people. Meanwhile, some onlookers might hold that he is a fool who fails to keep abreast with the times," says Chen. "We want to explore Wang's spiritual world through the art form of a play."

The play involves a group of actors who would step into different formations from time to time and use the variety of body postures to help create a certain atmosphere onstage. They also provide commentary on actions and events that were taking place in front of the audience with recitation, sometimes in the local dialects of Xinjiang.

"In this way, a sarcastic contrast between those who vie to chase after personal interests and Wang, a man who always prioritizes collective interests of the country and its people, will be displayed," says Wan Liming, the play's chief director and also a teacher with Shanghai Theater Academy.

Wan adds that he doesn't want to portray Wang as a mentally strong hero but depict him as a common person, who would get lost or feel confused at certain stages of life.

"For instance, the play shows Wang's frailty when he is diagnosed with cancer," says Wan. "On that scene of the play, we've also adopted expressionistic style to retrospect his 33 years in the army to probe into how he became so patriotic and willing to make self-sacrifice."

Wan says that the play will also present how Korla has changed over the past three decades. And the local cultures and customs will also be integrated into the play.

"The play is created not just for theatergoers but a wider group of audience," Wan says.