Renowned through Chinese history as one of the legendary Four Beauties of China, Wang Zhaojun’s importance went far beyond her looks, with diplomatic importance in her marriage that helped establish friendly ties with the Han dynasty. And while she may have long departed from this world, echoes of her existence continue to exist in our modern day, one which Nanyin music specialists Siong Leng Musical Association have expounded on and explored in their new work The Heart of Jun: Memoirs of Zhaojun.

Premiering during the Esplanade’s 2025 Huayi – Chinese Festival of Arts, The Heart of Jun: Memoirs of Zhaojun combines Nanyin music and theatre to bring audiences on a musical journey into the past, as it follows a group of 20th-century voyagers seeking their destinies. Three women leave China and set sail for Southeast Asia, their voyage echoing the journey of Wang Zhaojun, becoming embroiled in sinister struggles for power as a mysterious man reveals secrets they have yet to understand. Tensions rise while the waves rock the boat, as the true connections and relations are revealed over the tumultuous journey.

Written by celebrated Taiwanese playwright Katherine Hui-ling Chou and helmed by Taiwanese director Lee Yi Hsiu, best known for directing traditional music performances, the performance will not only showcase a skilled ensemble of Eastern and Western classical musicians playing together, but also feature Singapore actors Ang Xiao Ting, Jodi Chan and Hang Qian Chou. Speaking to Katherine and Yi Hsiu, we found out more about the creation process and cultural significance of the show.

“Siong Leng originally approached me and asked if I wanted to do something together, and I somehow hit upon the idea to bring in Wang Zhaojun’s story, considering how she’s so well known for her musical prowess,” says Yi Hsiu. “I then invited Katherine, who had previously mentored me and even had me performing in her shows before, to help write the script, and thanks to our friendship and her graciousness, she agreed to come onboard the project.”

“It was a nice coincidence because Yi Hsiu called me when I was in Singapore actually, when I was watching some shows, such as Drama Box’s The Lesson and The Theatre Practice’s Four Horse Road, which I was drawn to because of my interest in multilingual theatre,” says Katherine. “It was quite an exciting prospect to be writing a new piece for Singapore theatre and audiences, and with Wang Zhaojun’s story, it’s a familiar one to many Taiwanese, with many adaptations over the years, and even a Nanyin troupe that performed some stage versions of it. For us, the challenge would be reimagining it in a fresh way, while still showcasing the beauty of Nanyin music with purpose and intent.”

The big question still remained – as a Taiwan-Singapore collaboration, how would they weave in a link to Singapore and make it relevant to audiences here, today? “We tried to trace Zhaojun’s history back a little more, and went back to older texts such as Han Gong Qiu (漢宮秋), and how Zhaojun had her beginnings in a low, humble position, and about her family,” says Yi Hsiu. “In our discussions we decided not to use the original story as it was, but consider the more thematic idea of Zhaojun’s journey and how she left her original home, becoming an immigrant when she resettled, much like how Singapore is a global city that was born from immigrants hailing from other parts of the world.”

“We did more research into maritime history and cultures, and used maritime travel as the central idea. Our characters are essentially Chinese immigrants travelling to Singapore, and reveals various historical aspects during their stops along the way,” says Katherine. “Then the challenge would be how to insert the Nanyin music in, and it’s a genre that requires precise timing. We had to figure out how much time the music needed and choose the kind of music that would evoke emotions, and once that arrangement had been done, I would fit in the dialogue to complement the music, striking a careful balance and telling a complete story.”

Ostensibly, this show ends up as a feminist text, as it allows each of the female travellers to develop as full-fledged characters, each of them with their own regrets and fears and experiences. “I find this idea of a grand voyage so admirable – that they took such a huge risk to leave their homes and come to a completely different country, with such limited technology at the time and such bravery,” says Katherine. “These perilous journeys, combined with their unbridled ambition, is just so inspirational.”

“Nanyin’s connection with Singapore is actually very great, and the show is also partially about how it spread to other parts of the world, and the celebration of intangible cultural heritage today, from the story of Wang Zhaojun being passed down, to the historical achievements of migrants,” says Yi Hsiu. “To that end, Katherine did an amazing job with the script, and incorporated so many subtle cultural references into the dialogue that makes us realise how much we still perform certain traditions today, and how deeply connected we are to the past, right down to how influential trade routes were to our cultures today.”

A collaboration of this scale would always be a challenging, and relied on the storied experiences and ability of both Katherine and Yi Hsiu to overcome. “The matching of the songs to the show is the most difficult part of putting this show together, while also considering the staging, and striking that careful balance between the acting and the singing and the music,” says Yi Hsiu. “From experience, we know that there are many unsuccessful attempts in Taiwan to make sure everyone is performing, including the musicians, but we decided to let them stick to their specialties, where the actors act and the musicians play, even if they were game for the challenge! More than that, because it’s too expensive to fly people back and forth, we instead had to figure out an efficient schedule for rehearsals – to that end, it worked well and we were very effective at blocking and ensuring that show came together.”

On what motivates them to keep working in the arts, for both Katherine and Yi Hsiu, it comes down to a matter of faith and passion. “I feel like I’ve been constantly working, with small gaps in between each cycle. What keeps me going is sheer excitement over each new project, and I juggle each production on top of my position as a full-time professor. Time really flies when you settle into that kind of routine, and it’s become very comfortable for me to keep up this pace,” says Katherine.

“This work may be challenging but it’s been such a pleasure to work with Siong Leng – to me, this is one of my biggest projects in a while, and to see the fruits of all the effort will be worth it. We’re very happy for all the support we’ve received that keeps us going, including from the Singapore side,” says Yi Hsiu. “It’s been a very stressful time since the pandemic, but sometimes I take a step back and think about how our struggles are also what shape us – and it shapes us and the work for the better. Things could always be better, but I’m very thankful that this work has managed to receive the budget and resources to make it happen.”

“With this new year, I’ve been thinking a lot about how I wish for world peace, because that is something that both promotes and is furthered by international exchanges and collaborations – something that is well represented by this production,” says Katherine. “I’m so appreciative that Siong Leng is working so hard to maintain the culture of Nanyin, and hope that Singaporeans can see and appreciate just how much and how alive your intangible culture is – if I were Singaporean, I think I would be so proud of how it’s been done here, and how the country sets a really good example at the forefront of cross cultural exchange in Asia, and that this show both honours that and helps Singaporeans see that.”

The Heart of Jun: Memoirs of Zhaojun plays from 14th to 15th February 2025 at the Singtel Waterfront Theatre. Tickets available here

Huayi – Chinese Festival of Arts 2025 runs from 7th to 16th February 2025 at the Esplanade. Tickets and full programme available here