Performers stage the original musical Nan Kong in Beijing. [Photo/WeChat account: quzhoufb]

The original musical Nan Kong from Quzhou, Zhejiang province, was staged at the China National Opera House in Beijing from Sept 9 to 11.

Nan Kong is China's first original musical centered on Southern Confucianism. It recounts the tale of Kong Zhu (1231–91), the 53rd direct descendant of Confucius, who gave up his noble title and returned to Quzhou to dedicate himself to promoting Confucian culture.

The musical adopts a minimalist Song Dynasty (960-1279)-style stage design, using a gray-blue color scheme, screens, flowing graphics, and blank space to create an interplay between reality and imagination.

Its music combines the Chinese zither, guqin (seven-string Chinese zither), xiao (vertical bamboo flute), and morin khuur (horse-headed fiddle), while the dances present exchanges and integration among ethnic groups. Together, these elements bring the story to life.

Nan Kong has already staged about 170 performances in 54 Chinese cities, as well as in Singapore and Malaysia.