This song is part of the Beijing opera Lady Mu Guiying Takes Command, where it tells the story of an elderly lady who is the widow of a family of military generals. Her country is invaded by an enemy and she is eventually elected to come out of retirement and lead the nation to fight the invaders. This opera was adapted by Mei Lanfang, who was considered the “Queen of Peking Opera”, and acted in the lead role in the 10th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China. He was known for his female roles, particularly the “verdant-robed girls”, who are typically young or middle-aged women of grace and refinement. I chose this piece because I was interested in theatre a lot as a high schooler and was intrigued by the Beijing opera and it’s interesting portrayal and storytelling.