Chinese Cinderella highlights independence of women

A segment of new puppet performance, "Yeh-Shen," shown at a media briefing at the China National Theatre for Children, Beijing, June 4, 2019. [Photo: China Plus]

A wicked stepmother, assistance from a fairy, beautiful shoes and a marriage with a prince; all of these are the integral parts of Cinderella in Europe.

But China has an even earlier version of the Cinderella story, created during the Tang dynasty around 1,100 years ago.

The Chinese tale tells the story of Yeh-Shen, a beautiful, kind and gentle girl who owns a golden fish that secretly talks, and is also her only companion.

The China National Theatre for Children has now adapted the story for the stage in a form of a puppet show.

A segment of new puppet performance, "Yeh-Shen," shown at a media briefing at the China National Theatre for Children, Beijing, June 4, 2019. [Photo: China Plus]

Sun Mengzhu is the script-writer. She says the new play has undergone a big change at the end of the original story from the Tang dynasty. "For a girl, would a marriage with a prince simply lead to happiness? I don't think so. I changed the ending after a discussion with the play's director, Mao Er'nan. Our play focuses on the girl who eventually forgives her stepmother and stepsister. A group dance ends the play."

"Yeh-Shen highlights more of the female independence, and she is able to control her own destiny," added Sun.

In reality, there is already a significant difference between what's dubbed China's Cinderella and the Western version. China's Cinderella marries a prince who later becomes greedy and obtains big wealth via Yeh-Shen's golden fish. However, Sun Mengzhou has deleted this part, arguing there's not enough time for all the details of the story in a short play for children.

The Children's Theatre says the new play will debut on Friday, the start of the national Dragon Boat Festival.