Art beat in January

Shanxi's banks onstage

Shanxi province was once the country's financial center where private banks thrived, enjoying strong capital reserves and a good reputation. Drastic social changes and the introduction of Western banks in the 1910s and 1920s saw the industry decline. An original drama, Li Qiu (Beginning of Autumn), retraces the history of the Shanxi banking industry. Based on a real story, the drama was written by Yao Baoxuan, a Shanxi native, who incorporates the rich local culture into the play. After it premiered in 2004, the drama was an instant critical and commercial success.

7:30 pm, Jan 25. Poly Theater, Poly Plaza, Dongsishitiao, Dongcheng district. 010-6506-5343, 010-6506-5345.

Jane Eyre en pointe

Shanghai Ballet's original production of Jane Eyre will be staged. Taking the story from Charlotte Bronte's novel of the same title, the show features modern ballet choreography by Patrick de Bana, set and costume design by Jerome Kaplan and a script by Nick Yu (Rongjun). It was one of the winners of the best productions at the 9th China Dance Lotus Award in 2013. In the ballet adaptation, Bertha, the crazy wife of Rochester, plays a more prominent role and is a major highlight of the contemporary ballet.

7:15 pm, Jan 25. Shanghai Grand Theater, 300 Renmin Lu (Road), Shanghai. 400-1068-686.

Celebrating Lao She

Lao She is one of the most significant figures of 20th-century Chinese literature. His works have been translated into different languages and adapted by both big and small screens. To celebrate the 115th birthday of the literary master, Beijing Quju Opera Troupe puts forward a drama based on one of Lao She's well-known works, The Yellow Storm. The story takes place in the year 1937, when the Japanese army tried to force its way into Beijing. By describing the ups and downs of a Chinese family during the Japanese occupation in the 1940s, the story illustrates the average person's destiny during wartime.

7:30 pm, until Jan 26. Tianqiao Theater, 30 Beiwei Lu (Road), Xuanwu district, Beijing. 010-8315-6300.

Where are we going? To the movies

Five of the best loved children in China are now in a movie. The movie version of the smash hit reality TV show Where Are We Going, Dad? will premiere on Jan 31, the Lunar New Year. The show, released in October, involves five fathers, all sports or entertainment celebrities, and their children on weekly journeys to rural China. The show was an instant hit, and the five toddlers are now even more popular than their fathers. The feature film sees the fathers and children embark on another adventure in a wild zoo. Which is cuter: the children or the giraffes and baby bears?

Related: Film 'Where Are We Going, Dad?' to be shown on Jan 31

-Liu Wei

Peking Opera for the New Year

One way to celebrate Chinese New Year is to take in a performance of Peking Opera. Veteran performers from Beijing Peking Opera Theater, including Wang Rongrong, Chi Xiaoqiu and Zhang Huifang, will stage several performances throughout the festival. Classical repertories, such as Drunken Concubine, Yang Silang Visits His Mother, and modern works, including Takeover of Weihu Mountain, will be performed.

7:30 pm, Jan 31, Feb 1. Forbidden City Concert Hall, inside Zhongshan Park, west of Chang'an Avenue, Xicheng district, Beijing. 010-6559-8285.