The play will feature in the 7th Lao She Theatre Festival, which will be staged at the Tianqiao Performing Arts Center in Beijing on Dec 30 and Jan 1, 2024.

"Fang is very talented. We've discussed the idea of turning Rickshaw Boy into a play for many years and now, it's happening," says 73-year-old Siqin Gaowa. "Although I cannot play the role of Huniu, I am very excited about Fang's all-male cast, which will give the story a fresh interpretation."

The actress has been out of the limelight for many years for health reasons, and she describes the role as one of the highlights of her acting career.

Born Shu Qingchun to a Manchu family in Beijing in 1899, Lao She is one of the key figures of Chinese literature, whose novels, including Rickshaw Boy and Sishi Tongtang (Four Generations Under One Roof), and plays, such as Dragon Beard Ditch and Teahouse, have earned him a stellar reputation as a linguistic and literary master around the world.