Sheu Fang-Yi

9th century China. Ten year old general’s daughter Nie Yinniang is abducted by a nun who initiates her into the martial arts, transforming her into an exceptional assassin charged with eliminating cruel and corrupt local governors. One day, having failed in a task, she is sent back by her mistress to the land of her birth, with orders to kill the man to whom she was promised – a cousin who now leads the largest military region in North China. After 13 years of exile, the young woman must confront her parents, her memories and her long-repressed feelings.

The story revolves around a blind music student who excels at piano but faces hardships due to his disability, and an aspiring dancer who works at a bubble tea store. Their friendship becomes mutually uplifting as they pursue their dreams.

The relationship between the gambler A-hai and his wife Jia-yun is tumultuous. Jia-yun runs a stall in the market and often meets Mei and other housewives at a nearby shrine, where they make desserts and discuss Taoism’s promise of eternal life for women. However, Jia-yun cannot stay away for too long, fearing A-hai’s anger. One day, A-hai accidentally beats Jia-yun to death. To A-hai’s surprise, Jia-yun comes back to life soon after and resumes her daily routine. However, her body begins to decay rapidly, causing A-hai to spiral into a state of panic.

Dancer SHEU Fang-yi’s career has been told through her modern dance dramas such as Sparrow, Stranger, Wall, and Martha GRAHAM‘s Heretic. Martha GRAHAM once said: “A dancer dies twice — once when they stop dancing, and this first death is the more painful.” At this intersection of her life, SHEU Fang-yi commemorates her glorious past two decades with a funeral, to farewell her past self, and to get ready to move toward her unknown future.