The Yueju Opera Maple Like Flowers was performed at the Fifth Chinese Yueju Opera Festival in Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang province on the evening of Aug 19.

Still images of Yueju Opera Maple Like Flowers. [Photo by Liu Haidong provided to ezhejiang.gov.cn]

Maple Like Flowers was adapted from story about the deeds of martyr Zhu Feng. It tells the story of Hua Feng, a female agent, who was ordered to sneak into Taiwan to pass on military information about the Kuomintang stationed in Taiwan to the People's Liberation Army.

The award-winning opera has since its inception gone on national tours, held online broadcasts, and been well received by people from all walks of life. This year, the play was also selected for the 13th China Arts Festival.

Still images of the Yueju Opera Maple Like Flowers. [Photo by Liu Haidong provided to ezhejiang.gov.cn]

"The creation and arrangement of Maple Like Flowers is very sacred and solemn. This is the spirit of the opera. We will also carry this spirit into artistic creation to pay tribute to the martyrs and art," said director Yang Xiaoqing.

Yueju Opera, a national intangible cultural heritage, originated in Shaoxing before it became popular in Shanghai. It is a respected and widely acclaimed art form that blends Chinese folk stories, music and drama.