A Tale of The Forbidden City is a commission of traditional Kunqu performance. Kunqu, also known as Kunqu Opera, incorporates singing, dance and literature, and is a showcase of a variety of performing art forms.

The Chongzhen Emperor, the last emperor of the Ming Dynasty, meets the spirit of Kuai Xiang, the architect, who designed the Forbidden City Palace. Under the guide of the architect, Chongzhen takes his last stroll along the Forbidden City before the end of the dynasty, revealing the building intention of the world's largest wooden-structure palace city. Steeped in history, the Forbidden City served as the seat of power for centuries, and has seen countless battles and reconstruction. Building materials of the Forbidden City were shipped from all parts of China using a network of canals. All materials were painstakingly hand picked and worked on elaborately.

Acknowledgment: Jiangsu Performing Arts Group Kun Opera Theatre