Shanxi Jinzhong | "Seeing Pingyao Again"

📝1. Story. "Seeing Pingyao Again" tells a story about the inheritance of bloodlines. During the Tongzhi era of the late Qing Dynasty, Zhao Yishuo, the owner of a draft bank in Pingyao city, learned that the manager of the Zhao family's branch in Tsarist Russia, the Wang family, had met with disaster in a foreign land, with the entire family of 13 being wiped out, leaving only a young son. Therefore, Zhao Yishuo spent all his wealth, gathering 300,000 taels of silver, and hired the most reputable Tongxing Public Escort Agency in the city to go to Tsarist Russia to retrieve the sole survivor of the Wang family. As a result, 7 years passed, and Zhao Yishuo himself, along with 232 escorts, all died on the way, while the bloodline of the Wang family was continued. 💝2. Expression. Director Wang Chaoge expressed the benevolent and righteous spirit of the people of Pingyao and the importance the Chinese place on the inheritance of bloodlines through this soul-stirring story, showcasing the unceasing cultural essence of our nation. 🤔3. Experience. This was my first time watching an indoor situational drama, completely different from the impression series performances that use natural landscapes as the backdrop for theater-style viewing. "Seeing Pingyao Again" leads every audience member into the scene, up close to the actors, participating in the performance at zero distance, where one can interact with the actors in the shops, in addition to watching, and truly experience a journey through time. 💔4.1 Death Bath - 4.2 Soul's Return Home First, you will follow the crowded crowd walking in the streets of Pingyao a hundred years ago, with shops lining both sides of the street. The water from the escort's 'death bath' might accidentally splash onto you. The souls of those who died in a foreign land have no place to rest, struggling in the flickering lights, reminiscing about the hometown they can never return to, missing the relatives they can no longer touch. 💑4.3 Choosing a Wife. At this point, someone will tell you to move forward because the 'choosing a wife' ceremony is about to begin. Following the crowd, you enter the Zhao family's courtyard. To be honest, this part is somewhat sensual, with several women standing side by side, inspected by an older woman for their hands and feet, their skin, their full breasts and hips, and their soft waists. The one who is chosen then enters the bridal chamber in full wedding regalia, dies in childbirth after a difficult ten-month pregnancy, leaving behind her bloodline for the Zhao family, as if it were her only mission in life. 💃🏻🕺🏻4.4 Noodle Show (Dance). Speaking of Shanxi, one can never be separated from noodles, as Shanxi represents Chinese noodles, and China represents the world's noodles. In the last section, all the audience members come to a theater and sit down quietly. The characters on stage play the role of root-seekers from all over the world, who have also traveled thousands of miles with the same homesickness. They find that the farther they are from home, the more their love for their hometown grows. No matter where they are, only a bowl of noodles from their hometown can satisfy that deep craving in their taste buds. 🧰5. Summary. The content mainly consists of four sections: 'Death Bath of the Escort', 'Soul's Return Home', 'Choosing a Wife', 'Noodle Show'. Immersing oneself in a story about benevolence, bloodlines, tradition, and responsibility, perhaps these are the reasons why this nation has become even more resilient through trials and tribulations. 📍Shanxi Jinzhong Pingyao