This Kunqu adaptation of Six Chapters of a Floating Life brings Shen Fu’s autobiographical classic to the stage. Produced by Jiangsu Performing Arts Group Kunqu Opera Theatre, the production focuses on the deeply emotional relationship between Shen Fu and his wife Yun. It’s a literary adaptation rooted in Suzhou culture and traditional Kunqu aesthetics.

About the Show

Six Chapters of a Floating Life was written in 1808 by Shen Fu, a Qing dynasty writer from Suzhou. Originally structured in six chapters (two of which were later lost), the work records Shen Fu’s life with his wife Yun, focusing on their domestic routines, travels, and emotional bond. The writing is known for its direct, unadorned language and its intimate portrayal of marital affection. The narrative begins in joy and gradually moves toward hardship and separation, leaving a lasting emotional impression.

The stories take place in Suzhou, a cultural center of Jiangnan during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Through the couple’s lifestyle and spiritual pursuits, the text reflects values such as optimism, diligence, and emotional richness.

This stage adaptation is a new Kunqu production planned over several years. The original book has remained widely read and has been repeatedly recommended by writers and public figures. Literary scholar Yu Pingbo described the work as “like a piece of pure crystal,” while Lin Yutang translated it into English in 1936 and praised the character Yun as “one of the loveliest women in Chinese literature.”

Playwright Luo Zhou has described the work as an “exception” in classical literature for its direct attention to intimate marital life. Written after the death of his wife, Shen Fu’s text becomes both a remembrance of happiness and a response to grief.

Performers

Original Author

Shen Fu (1763–1832)

A Qing dynasty writer from Suzhou, courtesy name Sanbai. He did not participate in the imperial examination system and supported himself through painting and other work. His autobiographical Six Chapters of a Floating Life had significant literary influence and was translated into English by Lin Yutang in 1936.

Playwright

Luo Zhou

National First-Class Playwright and Deputy Director of the Repertoire Studio at Jiangsu Provincial Department of Culture. She holds a PhD in literature from Fudan University. Her Kunqu works include Spring River, Flower, Moon Night, Drunken Heart Flower, Rain on the Wutong Tree, and Gu Yanwu. She has received the Cao Yu Script Award (China Theatre Award) twice.

Director

Ma Junfeng

Theatre director currently based at Shanghai Theatre Academy. He previously worked with Shenzhen City Theatre Troupe and Shenzhen Fat Bird Theatre. His stage production Blossoms toured nationally and received the “Best Innovative Production” award at the Chinese Theatre Awards. He has also directed the contemporary Kunqu work Four Cries of the Gibbon: Cui Xiang Dream.

Performers

• Shi Xiaming
• Shan Wen
• Li Jingyang
• Li Hongliang
• Zhang Jingzhi
• Gu Jun
• Performed by Jiangsu Performing Arts Group Kunqu Opera Theatre.

Why It’s Worth Seeing

For audiences interested in literary adaptations and traditional Chinese opera, this production brings a well-known autobiographical classic into the Kunqu form. The source text’s focus on intimate daily life and emotional depth offers a different perspective from grand historical narratives, centering instead on personal memory and marital affection. It presents a stage interpretation of a long-circulated literary work closely associated with Suzhou culture and Jiangnan aesthetics.