Legend's legacy inspires musical of heroic intellectual

There are nine amateur child actors in the musical performing alongside professional singers.

Li Xiang, a tenor from China National Opera House, plays the role of Guo's father, a businessman, who believed in education and valued traditional Chinese culture.

"He was a strict father and kept the tradition of educating his children through the values espoused by family mottoes. Nowadays, however, it's a pity that family mottoes have been neglected by modern Chinese families," says Li, 38, who graduated from the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing and joined the China National Opera House in 2005.

The tenor also mentions that during the field trips before the musical's creation, he was attracted by the natural scenery of Shawan and loves the local food as well as making friends with local people, who are "warm, straightforward and sincere".

"We want to portray Guo Moruo's life before he became a celebrity with his encyclopedic knowledge and artistic talent. The local culture of Shawan, the food, and his family members, all contributed to his growth," Li says.