The Emperor, his Mom, a Eunuch and a Man (Trilingual Edition)

The Emperor, his Mom, a Eunuch and a Man is set in the late Qing dynasty during the reign of Emperor Tongzhi. It is a tragedy about Empress Dowager Cixi, eunuch An Dehai and the intricate and fateful relationships among many in the royal court, in which a series of events unfolded over “a dragon robe”. Since its premiere in 2013, because of its unique narrative structure and impressionable characters, this play has become a repertory favourite at the Hong Kong Repertory Theatre. It has had multiple local revivals as well as touring performances. The original 2014 standalone edition sold out almost instantly. Not only did the play reenact on stage the power struggle at the core of the Qing royal court, but playwright Poon Wai Sum also wrote a sensitive and nuanced script reflecting on the strife and fragility of human nature trapped in the machinations of power.
 
In March 2026, the play graces the stage again at the Hong Kong Arts Centre’s Shouson Theatre. To mark this occasion, we publish a trilingual script—in Cantonese, Putonghua and English—for the first time, providing readers a variety of perspectives in appreciating and appraising this play.