A scene from The Story of Niu Tianci. [Photo by Zhang Rui/China Daily]

The Story of Niu Tianci, a Chinese play based on Chinese author Lao She's 1934 novel of the same name, premiered in Beijing's Tianqiao Performing Arts Center on Dec 25. Directed by Fang Xu, who has adapted five of Lao She's works into theatrical productions, and featuring young Chinese actors, including Guo Qilin in the lead role, the play will be staged till Dec 29 before it tours nationwide in 2020.

Unlike Lao She's other novels, such as Rickshaw Boy and Four Generations Under One Roof, The Story of Niu Tianci is less well-known and has never been adapted into a movie, TV series or theatrical production. 

Born as Shu Qingchun to a Manchu family in Beijing in 1899, Lao She is best known for his vivid descriptions of grassroots life that reflect social reality and for his precise depictions of local Beijing culture through his unique humor and use of the city's dialect. His novels, including Rickshaw Boy and Four Generations Under One Roof, and his plays, such as Long Xu Gou (Dragon Beard Ditch) and Teahouse, have earned him fame as a linguistic and literary master worldwide.