Author: Chen Yinuo
With the arrival of early autumn, the 35th Golden Autumn Drama Contest was held at Wuhan University’s Meiyuan playground on the evening of October 28. Themed “Luojia Story”, the contest featured different captivating stories related to Wuhan University (WHU). Contestants from different schools showed off their skills through various performances. The three-hour contest was a combination of the participants’ passion, imagination and strife, turning this Saturday night into a night of magic.
In the drama contest, students of Wuhan University emerged as the creators, directors, and performers, weaving tales that intricately intertwined their personal growth with contemplation. The pioneering drama Lost in the Journey to the West, performed by students from the School of Journalism and Communication, won the contest. Accompanied by uplifting drumming, the show began against a blood-red scenic backdrop. It portrays four teenagers with distinct characteristics making their way to a gala. On their long and exhausting journey, black shadows lure them towards an easier life and taking shortcuts.
Lost in the Journey to the West by the School of Journalism and Communication
Drawing inspiration from the ancient Chinese classic Journey to the West, which follows the adventures of a Buddhist monk and his three companions as they travel to obtain sacred scriptures, overcoming various obstacles and encountering mythical creatures along the way, the drama uses the journey of the four protagonists in this book as a metaphor for the confusion and struggles experienced by contemporary young people. The vibrant performances and meaningful metaphors of this production earned it an impressive score of 9.82, securing the top position in the contest.
Lost in the Journey to the West by the School of Journalism and Communication
“Life is like an endless journey across the desert, and we are all travelers, collecting our own stars.” The drama Will the Sailor on his Voyage Dream of Catching Butterflies?, performed by students from the Electronic Information School, provided another perspective on young people growing up. Engaged in an endless cycle of questioning the meaning of life, the play’s heroes embark on a journey of catching butterflies accompanied by the will of the crowd. As the story unfolds, the protagonists come to realize that the meaning of life can be varied, and it can only be defined by oneself, not other people.
Will the Sailor on his Voyage Dream of Catching Butterflies? by the Electronic Information School
“Violence and misunderstanding are perpetual, and what we can do is leave kindness to others, do the right things, and embrace all the results.” The drama Growing Towards the Sun, presented by the School of Public Health, discusses another issue that tangles young people in the current era. The development of the internet offers young people convenience while simultaneously bringing downsides. In this drama, the hero saves a girl from cyber-bullying, with kindness and support eventually emerging from the Internet, providing strength to them. In the performance, black umbrellas were used to symbolize the unkind words harming the hero, while white umbrellas stood for help and support from the Internet, which created a strong visual impact on the audience.
Growing towards the Sun by the School of Public Health
Besides the vivid depiction of young people’s inner world, various imagery displaying the grandiosity and honorable history of Wuhan University further supplemented the story of Luojia. Among them stood out two dramas—Journey in the Flames of War and Cherry Blossom of Luojia.
Journey in the Flames of War by the School of Computer Science
Journey in the Flames of War, presented by the School of Computer Science, returned to a special historical period when Wuhan University relocated to Leshan due to the War of Resistance against Japan. The drama tells the story of a WHU student who travels back in time to change the fate of Wuhan University’s relocation under the fire of war. This tough and painful time, however, could not be altered by individual force. The decision to relocate the school was still firmly made in that time of crisis, but the hero manages to accept and cherish this unchangeable fact. He eventually realizes that the spirit of WHU is not only composed of its glory, but also by the suffering she has gone through.
Similarly, the drama Cherry Blossom of Luojia brought the audience back to the time when Wuhan University was under occupation by the Japanese army. The blooming cherry blossom flower witnessed not only the cruelty of the Japanese army, but also the firm determination of the hero to protect our school from the blade of Japanese soldiers, and continues to contribute to today’s campus many decades later.
Cherry Blossom of Luojia by the School of Resource and Environmental Sciences
With the lights dimmed and curtains dropping, the magic night came to an end. The laughter and tears of the audience proved it to be another success in the continuity of the Golden Autumn Drama Contest. The campus of Luojia has seen millions of ordinary and extraordinary individuals in the flood of the times. Looking back on the past, predecessors from WHU devoted their lives to our motherland, constructing the history and spirit of our school. Looking at the present, young people at WHU today are not afraid to speak out about their confusion and their dreams, searching for infinite possibilities in their future. Dramas may end, but the Luojia story in every student’s life will go on and on, ready to glow.
Photo by Fang Changrui
Edited by Wang Yihan, Li Jing, Wu Jing, Cao Hangqian, Sylvia, Xi Bingqing
