In a fit of jealousy, Xiao Yanqiu, star of The Moon Opera, disfigures her understudy with boiling water. Spurned by the troupe, she turns to teaching. Twenty years later The Moon Opera is restaged, under the patronage of a rich local factory boss who insists that Xiao Yanqiu return to the role of Chang'e. So she does, this time believing she is the immortal moon goddess. Set against the dramatic backdrop of the Peking Opera, this devastating portrait shows the extent to which a desperate woman will embrace an exalted image of herself in an effort to flee earthly concerns. The Moon Opera is translated by Howard Goldblatt. Bi Feiyu is one of the most respected authors and screenwriters in China today. He was born in 1964 in Xinghua, in the province of Jiangsu, China. He is the recipient of several literary awards, including the Xu Lun Prize, and the Man Asian Literary Prize 2010. He co-wrote the film Shanghai Triad, which was directed by acclaimed Chinese director Zhang Yimou.
Author
Bi Feiyu, born 1964 in Xinghua, Jiangsu, is a Chinese writer. He is a resident of Nanjing. His name, Feiyu, means "one who flies across the universe". His works are known for their complex portrayal of the "female psyche." Feiyu's novel The Moon Opera (青衣), translated by Howard Goldblatt, was longlisted for the 2008 Independent Foreign Fiction Prize, while Three Sisters (玉米 ，玉秀，玉秧), also translated by Goldblatt, won the 2010 Man Asian Literary Prize. In China, his awards include twice winning the Lu Xun Literary Prize; and the 2011 Mao Dun Prize, the highest national literary award, for Massage. He also wrote the screenplay for Zhang Yimou's 1996 film Shanghai Triad. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bi\_Feiyu Chinese Profile: 毕飞宇
