"KING of Nanyue," the first historical drama set in ancient Guangdong, will be performed in Shenzhen on July 13 through 15, following its successful debut last month in Guangzhou.

Two years in the making with an investment of 10 million yuan (US$1.25 million), "King of Nanyue" tells the story of Zhao Tuo, lord of the south Guangdong region, against the panorama of Guangdong, 2,000 years ago.

A commanding general during the country's first dynasty, the Qin Dynasty (221-206 B.C.), Zhao was appointed by the emperor to lead 500,000 soldiers into Nanyue, areas of today's Guangdong Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. He conquered the indigenous Nanyue people, brought in the civilization of China's northern plains (the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River), and founded the Nanyue Kingdom. Zhao is considered the ancestor of the Guangdong people.

Not just stopping with the story of Zhao, "King of Nanyue" takes on the history of Guangdong. The drama also tells of the original inhabitants of ancient Guangdong, tattooed and dining on snakes.

Wang Xiaodi, the play's director, said Zhao not only brought 500,000 people from the north to marry the locals but also introduced farming techniques and business, which helped develop the economy of ancient Guangdong.

The Guangdong culture, starting in Nanyue, is an amalgamation of the north culture and aboriginal culture in Nanyue during Zhao's governance. The two-hour drama's choreography, lighting, music and costumes reflect the conflict and merging of different cultures.

"We tried to give the audiences a direct image of the cultural exchange at that time with costumes and dances," said Gao Guangjian, the drama's choreographer.

Gao hopes the costumes and dances will impress local audiences. "More than 100 copies of the Terra-cotta Warriors were made for the drama, part of the magnificent scene of Zhao and his 500,000-people army."

Dong Weijie, the drama's music director, said ancient music from the Qin and Han dynasties (221 B.C.-220 A.D.) was used, along with historical Cantonese opera. Rather than using Cantonese, the drama is performed in Mandarin for Shenzheners.

For theatergoers who may want to experience the period, the tomb of the Nanyue King can still be found in Guangzhou. Discovered in 1983, it was opened to the public in 1989 as a museum. The tomb is the earliest large-scale painted stone-chamber tomb ever found in South China.

Editor: Wing