Promotional material for drama Miyun 10 Sisters Photo: Courtesy of Beijing Art Performance Group

The Miyun 10 Sisters, performed as Hebei Bangzi, a main type of opera in North China's Hebei Province, was staged in Beijing from Wednesday and Thursday.

This drama is based on the stories of the Miyun Reservoir, which was completed in 1958, and the locals in Miyun who dedicated themselves to the construction and protection of the reservoir for decades.

The Hebei Bangzi drama starts with a flood, which destroyed homes in Miyun. People all dedicated themselves to recovering from the havoc, among whom, 10 sisters, including the protagonist of the drama Wang Xiulan, stand out and volunteer to fight on the front lines of the reservoir's construction. 

With the efforts of 200,000 workers, the unfinished reservoir manages to quell floods the following year and is then fully completed the year after the next, which is regarded as a miracle in such a short time. 

Li Jie, the director of the drama, said he was not satisfied telling a story about the well-known Miyun Reservoir. Through stories about taming and protecting water, the theater troupe intends to show the unyielding spirit and pursuit of a better life of Chinese people, all of which are long-lasting parts of Chinese tradition. 

Dong Ning, a vice president of Beijing Art Performance Group, said the 10 sisters were a representation of an enthusiastic age.

This drama is set to tour across China in the future.