Visitors enjoy lanters at Baotu Spring Park in Jinan, capital of east China's Shandong Province, Feb. 2, 2008. Fifty-five large latern groups and over 3,000 lanterns presented attractive scenery in the 29th Baotu Spring lantern festival which kicked off on Saturday. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    BEIJING, Feb. 15 -- Falling next Thursday, on the 15th day of the first lunar month, it is the end of the Lunar New Year festivities. Kunqu Opera lovers can enjoy light-hearted classics and romances staged by the Shanghai Kunqu Opera House on February 21 and 24.

    The hilarious "Kite Romance" has been compared to the ancient Chinese version of "cyber love."

    The handsome and talented scholar Han Shixun has lived at the home of his ugly friend Qi Youxian since the death of Han's father. Nearby live Miss Ugly Aijuan and Miss Beauty Shujuan from the Zhan family.

    Han writes a poem to the beauty on a kite and flies it over to the Zhan family residence - today it would be a misdirected e-mail. Ugly Aijuan finds the note, disguises herself as Shujuan and asks Han to visit. He is repelled by the woman's rudeness and coarse manners and runs away. Who is really the woman Han longs for?

    Performances on February 23 and 24 are mostly comedies and excerpts from "The Story of the Jade Hairpin," "The Story of West Wing Room" and "Tale of the Embroidered Jacket."

    Young performers Shen Yili, Li An, Zhang Jun and Hu Gang take the lead roles in the stylish production.

    The audience will be served yuanxiao, enjoy the lantern-hanging ceremony and play puzzle games in the theater. Some spectators will be able to don elaborate Kunqu Opera costumes and join the show.    

    "We will present more wonderful shows suited to the unique atmosphere of traditional Chinese festivals like the Dragon Boat Festival and the Mid-Autumn Festival," says Guo Yu, director of Shanghai Kunqu Opera House. "We hope to draw today's young generation back to our profound traditional culture and customs."

    (Source: Shanghai Daily)