"There are many jokes in the world that you listen to with tears in your eyes," says writer Liu Zhenyun, when asked what Laughter and Tears: A Novel is about.

Published in 2021, it's the story of a fairy named Hua Erniang, who loves jokes and seeks to learn new ones. For more than 3,000 years, she has been searching for jokes in people's dreams. With the laughter, the fairy also tastes the sadness of everyday, messy lives.

In 2024, the novel was adapted into a play, One Day Three Autumns. Directed by Ding Yiteng and starring dancer-actress Tang Shiyi in the lead role, it premiered in Chengdu, Southwest China's Sichuan province, and then toured nationally.

As part of the NCPA International Theatre Festival 2024, One Day Three Autumns will be staged at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing on Wednesday and Thursday.

According to Li Yangduo, its producer and founder of Beijing's Drum Tower West Theatre, the play is one of three produced by her theater company that are collectively known as the "Liu Zhenyun theatre trilogy".

"The novel combines elements of introspection with a broader social critique, making it both a meditation on individual lives, and a commentary on the larger societal forces at play in contemporary China," Li said at the national center on Nov 25.

"When we decided to adapt the novel, we visited Liu's hometown of Yanjin county, Xinxiang, in Henan province, and learned about his writing process," she adds.

"Many seemingly humorous or lighthearted stories actually contain deep, underlying pain or sorrow. The novel reflects the complexity of human emotions and experiences, where laughter sometimes serves as a mask for grief, struggle or hardship. These 'jokes' might be born out of difficult situations, making them bittersweet, or even heart-wrenching upon reflection."