Six Chapters of a Floating Life is an autobiography by Fu Shen (沈复, 1763–1825) who lived in Changzhou (now known as Suzhou) during the Qing dynasty. The four existing chapters are Wedded Bliss, The Little Pleasures of Life, Sorrow, and The Joys of Travel. Two further chapters are missing (or perhaps not completed): A History of Life at Chungshan and The Way of Living.

This is an autobiographical note-style work, which describes the ordinary and interesting home life of Fu Shen and his wife. The words are fresh, the emotions are sincere, and the reputation is comparable to "A Dream of Red Mansions". Scholar, Pingbo Yu, praises it as "such a piece of pure crystal", the translator of the English version, Yutang Lin, comments that the wife is "the loveliest woman in Chinese literature". At present, there are more than 100 printed versions of "Six Chapters of a Floating Life ", including English, German, French, Russian, Swedish, Danish, Japanese, and other foreign translations. This piece of literary work has far-reaching influence at home and abroad.

The Shanghai Grand Theatre leads the Chinese and foreign classics, such as opera, ballet, and opera. The creative group presents the world's classic stage art combining national elements and characteristics of the times. This time, the show is performed together with the “Nankun Authentic” Jiangsu Provincial Performing Arts Group Kunqu Theatre, the Yangtze River Delta Art. After years of preparations, the group of famous people moved to the stage of the Kunqu Opera, taking the essence of Jiangnan and Shanghai culture, and unveiling the classical feelings of the ancestors of the world and the ancestors of the hundred plays with contemporary aesthetics. At the same time, the opera follows Fu Shen 's sentiment between Han and Mo's articles, chasing the warmth and sorrow of this passionate couple, understanding the joy and impermanence of the world, and inheriting the humanistic life aesthetics and the life of the Chinese nation.

Fu Shen, courtesy name Sanbai (三白), was a Chinese writer of the Qing Dynasty best known for his autobiography, Six Chapters of a Floating Life. Fu Shen was born in Changzhou (长洲, in Suzhou, Jiangsu province) in 1763. He was known as a great writer, and he wrote one of the best-known descriptions of everyday life during the Qing Dynasty, Six Chapters of a Floating Life. In this text, which was completed in 1807, Fu Shen describes the gentle personality of his wife, Yun Chen (陈芸), and his love for her. He also chronicles the rejection of Yun Chen by his parents and her untimely death. Fu Shen was a government clerk, a "yamen" private secretary.

Zhou Luo writes Kunqu, which is also the feeling of the ancients and the emotions of contemporary people. She is known as "the black horse of the dramatic writers." In 2012, she won the "Chinese Drama Award and Yu Cao Script Award" for the highest score in the Chinese scriptwriters "General Army" (cooperation), becoming the youngest winner of this award. Since then, she has been ever successful. In her scriptwriter world, all kinds of characters are impressive. This time, she focused on a small couple on the side of Gusu City, leading the audience into the inner world of the literati two and a half centuries ago and offering a glimpse of the "floating life".

Junfeng Ma is a young and talented "Ghost Talent" drama director. From Shenzhen to Shanghai, from "The Descendants of He Zheng " to "A Woman Meets Tree Men", "Pickup" to "Flowers", he steps from South to East, and his artistic style gradually changes from depicting the outside to the inside and from hustle and bustle to calm. The stage play "Flowers" won the "Best Innovative Play" award of the 2nd Chinese Drama Festival. The structure of the 60s and 90s alternated well with the "Hai School" literary style of the original narration. The small theater work, "Four Sounds, Cuixiang Dream" is the first time he directed Kunqu, and the response was well-received. From Yucheng Jin 's "Flowers" to Fu Shen 's "Six Chapters of a Floating Life", from the life of the city described by contemporary literati to the home marriage of the Qing literati, there is a new perception of the delicateness and vividness of daily life, perhaps through the "no sound" in Shanghai dialect which gives a different perspective to Six Chapters of a Floating Life.

Xiaming Shi, the stranger, is like jade. The son of the world is unparalleled. He is the Fen Chunyu in "A Dream Under the Southern Bough." He is also Mengmei Liu in "Peony Pavilion." He is Jizu Xu in "White Blouse," and he is also Bizheng Pan in "The Story of Jade Hairpin." He is the spokesperson of the talented characters in Kunqu, but in his life, he is the "warm man" who loves photography. On the stage, there is a glimpse of the glory, thousands of faces, countless classic images coming out of the desk, coming from the classical, and walking to the stage of today's cities, attracting today's audience to cry and laugh with his performances. The joys and sorrows of the ancients are a reflection of the joys and sorrows of modern men and women. This version of Six Chapters of a Floating Life adds even more points to today's life.

Wen Shan was born in an opera family. Recently, she won the 29th China Drama Plum Blossom Award (top of the list). As the youngest student in the "fourth generation" of the Kunqu Opera Troupe, her growth witnessed the return of Kunqu to the public. She debuted at a young age and has won multiple awards as she grows up. Her brilliance illuminated the Kunqu stage. Kunqu gives her a quiet and timeless atmosphere, and she brings to it a youthful vitality. She decorated the artistic dreams of countless young audiences. On the stage of Six Chapters of a Floating Life, she is the "dream woman" from the literati.

Program List

2019