Drama "Earthliness" back to celebrate Chinese drama centennial

The cast of the play "Earthliness" have gone back to college for their contribution to the centennial celebrations for Chinese drama. A staple of the repertoire of the National Theatre Company of China, "Earthliness" is drawing a full-houses at Peking University with its thought-provoking storyline and star-studded cast.
This is an "angel" tragically fallen to the earth. Beautiful and pure-hearted, she is yet forced to succumb to terrestrial misery.
Not given a name, she is known as simple the wife of pedicab-driver, De zi. Sold as a girl by her debt-ridden father, she went from one human trader to another, finally ending up in a brothel. She was rescued from that plight in 1949, married and thought the rest of her life could have a brighter future.

However the nightmare began again when people around found out her past as a prostitute. Finally it cost her life in the turbulent days of the Cultural Revolution.
Zhu Yuanyuan, an established star on the small screen, excels in the heart-rending role.
Veteran actor Liu Peiqi is masterful as the vicious Ma Sansheng who stirs up so much trouble for her.
Liu Peiqi, actor of "Earthliness", said, "When I first read the script, I really didn't like the character of Ma Sansheng, somebody who hits people when they are down. So during rehearsals I had a lot of trouble putting my heart into the role. Later I realized the more wicked Ma Sansheng was, the more tragic the heroine appeared."

"Earthliness" is based on an award-winning novel written by Huo Da in the 1980s. Through his acerbic account of his nameless heroine's life and death, the author savages those who allowed their values to becomes twisted by opportunism or political upheaval.