Event Recap | Picturesque Jiangxi: A Landscape Like No Other — Tang Xianzu Culture Arrives in Xiamen and Quanzhou

On May 17–18, 2025, the 2025 “Picturesque Jiangxi: Unparalleled Scenery” cultural and tourism promotion event for Xiamen and Quanzhou was held at Huaqiao University’s Xiamen Campus and in Xunpu Village, Quanzhou, under the guidance of the Jiangxi Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism and the People’s Government of Fuzhou City, and jointly hosted by the culture, radio, television, and tourism bureaus of the six cities of Fuzhou, Shangrao, Nanchang, Ganzhou, Jiujiang, and Yingtan.

Fuzhou has long been renowned as the “Hometown of Talented Scholars and a Land of Culture,” boasting a profound cultural heritage. At this cultural‑tourism promotion event, the Tang Xianzu Memorial Hall of Fuzhou City brought its signature exhibition, “Tang Xianzu, the Sage of Eastern Opera,” along with exquisite cultural‑creative products to Fujian. At Huaqiao University’s Xiamen Campus and in Xunpu Village, Quanzhou, the hall showcased the operatic legacy of Master Tang, helping more people appreciate this great Ming‑dynasty dramatist and a shining gem in the annals of Chinese literature.

Xiamen: When Youth Meets the Eastern Master of Opera

On May 17, the exhibition “Tang Xianzu, the Sage of Eastern Opera” was held on the book‑filled campus of Huaqiao University. Guided by a chronological narrative, the docent traced Tang Xianzu’s life—from his precocious talent and his failed imperial examinations, to his official career in Nanjing and his outspoken remonstrances, then to his virtuous governance in Suichang and his final years in Linchuan—illuminating his noble character and unyielding integrity. The exhibition brought to life the legendary journey of this gifted scholar from Linchuan more than four centuries ago, drawing numerous faculty members and students to pause and savor its compelling story.


Students also developed a keen interest in the opera performers from Fuzhou, eagerly pulling out their phones to snap photos with the protagonists of the “Four Dreams of Linchuan.” The event featured engaging interactive activities such as applying traditional opera makeup and trying on costumes, and attendees were gifted copies of the comic book “Falling in Love with the Four Dreams of Linchuan in Half an Hour.” Students from Huaqiao University placed orders on the spot for cultural‑creative souvenirs to commemorate the occasion, and pledged to visit the hometown of Tang Xianzu during the summer vacation.

At night, the cultural and creative market swells with crowds; specialty cultural products—such as 'Half an Hour to Fall in Love with Linchuan's Four Dreams,' poetry‑inspired book lamps, and Peony Pavilion fridge magnets—harmonize with Minnan‑style architecture, becoming cherished 'Twin‑City Memories' for visitors.

From Jiangxi to Fujian, from universities to ancient villages, this cultural journey across the Wuyi Mountains has not only brought the story of Tang Xianzu, the “Sage of Eastern Opera,” into the daily lives of Fujian residents, but has also forged a bridge for urban‑rural cultural and tourism collaboration through innovative forms of expression. Looking ahead, we will continue to harness cultural IP as our driving force, inviting visitors from all corners to embark on a shared journey to the “hometown of talented scholars,” where they can experience the profound heritage and warm human spirit of this fertile land.

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