18 Springs, a multi-media music Putonghua drama adapted from the novel of the same title by the famous writer Eileen Chang, was premiered in November 2003 in Hong Kong. 18 Springs was a ground-breaking cultural exchange across the Strait.



Eileen Chang showed us in this story that love without regrets could never be perfect love. The novel was written with very fine details, displaying the intricate working of the psychology of men and women involved with the entanglement of love. At the same time, the novel also illustrated the "mind forged manacles" created by the morals and ethics of China and their effects on the people who were in pursuit of free love. The directors translated the powerful language of Eileen Chang into a vivid stage experience; and Rene Liu’s rendition of the theme song gave voice and expression to the complex pattern of the tapestry in the heroine's heart and mind. The multi-media presentation, with poignant songs interwoven between its text, turned 18 Springs into a sumptuous feast for the audiences on both sides of the Strait.