“The Golden Cangue,” a Mandarin drama adapted from a 1943 novella written by the legendary Shanghai writer Eileen Chang, will be staged at Huaxi Arts Center this month.

    It is a sophisticated story about money, lust, love and destiny, with the plots centering on Cao Qiqiao, a poor but beautiful woman who marries the bedridden son of the wealthy Jiang family for money. She ends up becoming jaded and materialistic, ruining her children’s happiness.

    This is one of the best-known works of Chang (1920-1995), who is noted for her fictional writing that deals with love, and is considered by some scholars to be among the best Chinese literature of the period. Her best works include “Love in a Fallen City,” “Red Rose and White Rose” and “Eighteen Springs.”

    As a rapidly rising star on Hong Kong’s theater scene, Perry Chiu will be the art director of the drama and play the role of Cao Qiqiao as well. She founded her own experimental drama troupe in 2005 and subsequently created a series of popular dramas, among which “Butterflies Are Free,” a Chinese version of the famed Broadway drama, had received great acclamations in China during its tour between 1999 and 2004.

    “The Golden Cangue” is directed by the award-winning Hong Kong movie director Ann Hui, who has directed a string of acclaimed movies including “Boat People,” “Love in a Fallen City” which was also based on another novella by Chang, “The Way We Are” and “Night and Fog.”

    Terence Yin, a Hong Kong-based actor, singer and producer, plays Jiang Jize, whom Cao Qiqiao loves and is always refused by. Yin has starred in over 30 movies, including “Bishonen,” “Lavender” and “New Police Story.”

    Time: 8 p.m., April 22-23

    Tickets: 100-580 yuan

    Reservations: 400-610-3721

    Venue: Huaxi Arts Center, 1 Guangqiao Street, Overseas Chinese Town (华侨城光侨街一号华夏艺术中心)

    Buses: 21, 26, 32, 54, 59, 79, 101, 105, 109, 113, 121, 204, 209, 210, 222, 223, 230, 232, 234, 245, 311, 319, 323, 324, 327, 328, 350, 365 Metro: Hua Qiao Cheng Station (Overseas Chinese Town Station 华侨城站), Exit A(Tan Yaoquan)