A tasteful production

"Beijing People's Art Theatre created The Top Restaurant, which premiered in 1988 and tells the story of the famous Peking duck restaurant Fu Ju De. When I read the script of From West to East, I was very excited. I know it will become a classic because it's about Chinese food, recounting Chinese history and connecting with Chinese people. Along with the creative team, we revised the script eight times, hoping to present the little-known story about the time-honored brand," says Zhang, adding that the play will premiere in the capital on Sept 16 and will run for five days before touring nationwide.

The play tells the story of the restaurant from its very beginning to 1949, when the People's Republic of China was founded. Established by Ding Deshan, a man from Cangzhou, Hebei province, in 1903, the restaurant started from a small booth in Dong'an market, a commercial area located in the bustling Wangfujing street, and became famous for its distinctive copper pots, thin-sliced strips of mutton and sugar garlic. In its 120-year history, the restaurant went through many ups and downs, which reflected the fortunes of Chinese society. Now, Dong Lai Shun has more than 150 branch restaurants across the country.

Veteran Chinese actor Liu Peiqi will play the leading role of Ding Deshan. At 65, Liu is known for his roles in TV dramas and movies. He attributes his major breakthrough to Zhang, who traveled to meet Liu at his home in Tianjin with the script for The Days Without My Comrade, which is about Lei Feng — a soldier and a national icon. The movie, written by Zhang, was premiered in 1996 and Liu rose to fame by playing the role Qiao Anshan, one of Lei Feng's former colleagues.