April 16, 2018 -- A Khesum villager cleans his car at the village. Jogod/Xinhua

Director Basang Tsering said writing the script for the play was easy. Almost every family has memories.

“My job was to collect the stories and guide the actors to render them in an artistic form,” he said.

Conditions of serfs and slaves in Tibet have been documented in many historical records and travelers’ tales.

“Young people may feel uncomfortable seeing the scene on stage, but the real history of Tibet was crueler than what is shown here,” said Sonam Londrup, an audience member.

New generations

Grandmother Chiga was one of the first females to become members of the Communist Party of China in Khesum in 1959. Until she died in 1995, she was one of a handful of revered villagers.