A Famous Official Cai Fuyi, a Gezai Opera performed by actors from both sides of the Taiwan Straits, will be staged in Xiamen and Jinmen in October. 

The opera was co-planned and created by Xiang'an district in Xiamen and Jinmen county in Taiwan, directed by famous Taiwan director Chiang Chien-yuan, and performed by actors from the Chinese mainland and Taiwan. 

Cai Fuyi is well-known to people from both sides of the Taiwan Straits. He was born in Jinmen and could recite the entire Fan Li Biography, a literary work with over 10,000 words, when he was only 11 years old. In 1594, he became a candidate in the provincial elimination of the imperial examinations and became the youngest entrant to sit the final imperial test, which was presided over by the emperor. 

Cai later acted as governor of Guizhou, Yunnan, Hubei and Hunan provinces. In September 1621, Cai made great contributions to pacifying separatist forces in Southwest China's Sichuan and Guizhou provinces, where rebellions once raged. 

He was respected for his honesty, righteousness and loyalty to his country. In October 1625, Cai died while serving in the army and was canonized by the imperial court as a minister of war. 

Gezai Opera, or Gezaixi, is the only traditional Chinese opera which originated in Taiwan and became established in Minnan, southern Fujian province. It uses a free metrical pattern and various tunes but few lyrics. There are more than 100 traditional tunes. Performers in all roles sing in their real voices.