Sage play tells story of Chinese Silk Road explorer

BEIJING, May 5 (Xinhua) -- A new theatre play is to debut in Beijing this month, telling the story of a celebrated Chinese Silk Road explorer from the second century B.C.

"A Life on the Silk Road" zooms in on the 13-year "great journey to the West" taken by Han Dynasty envoy Zhang Qian, among the first to bring back to the imperial court precious news and products from Central and West Asia.

Zhang's travels are remembered as being part of the origins of the Silk Road, which saw the exchange of products, ideas, cultures and religions between the East and the West for the centuries to come.

Playwright Wang Jing told press that the play leads the audience into the dreams and imagination of Zhang, showing the Silk Road culture and honoring the spirit of fearless exploration.

The play is a joint project of Chinese and French artists. It opens on May 17 at the National Theatre of China. Enditem