The legendary life of a merchant of the late Qing dynasty and his remarkable tactics in beleaguered power struggles
 
Hu Xueyan experienced ups and downs in his life, his fate closely tied to the ebb and flow of the fortunes of the final decades of the Qing dynasty. Clairvoyant in observing trends and how best to utilize people around him, Hu transformed himself from a penniless lad to the nation's top merchant powerful enough to rival the court. Despite tumultuous times, he used his unique talents and financial resources to help Wang Youling and Zuo Zongtang to combat the Taiping rebels as well as Western powers. Equally comfortable among officials and traders, Hu was a man of ideals, intent to challenge Westerners on political and business fronts, at the same time making generous donations to provide free medical care for the poor. In his mind, life was a never-ending game of catch.


*With kind permission of The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts
#With kind permission of Drama Gallery