Scene from a drama written by Li Liang incubated by the Peiyuan platform [Photo/peiyuanproject.com]

"Any playwright can hand in his or her works to this platform because it can not only judge them very objectively, but can also maximize their value." said Li Liang, a playwright, whose work has been chosen by the Peiyuan young drama talents and plays incubation platform funded by Beijing Culture and Arts. 

Performing like a dark horse in last year's drama industry, the Peiyuan platform selected 24 scripts from nearly 400 candidates for incubation, adding more vigor to the whole field. 

Seeking to inject the industry with new vitality, the platform selected the works based on their inherent qualities rather than the qualifications of the authors. It even helped several Chinese opera companies find critically needed quality scripts. 

A revision mechanism is set up for the scripts needing further work; nine of the first phase works of Peiyuan were chosen by insightful experts and guest judges. "Incubation does not only give simple support to these works, but strategically and systematically cultivates them to become influential expressions on the stage." said Ji Pei, professor of the Central Academy of Drama and one of the judges of the platform. 

The Beijing Culture and Arts Fund has invested 3 million yuan ($460,000) in the platform, which is just enough to mount a medium-scale theatre work. However, five works of the first phase have signed contracts with product agencies and initiated their commercial debut, and another 11 are in process, which may generate at least 20 million yuan for this kind of social investigation.  

The flexible review mechanism also contributes to the success of Peiyuan. KuanYou Culture, operator of the platform, introduced a review team including researchers, producers, directors, playwrights and media to balance the works' artistry, marketability, uniqueness and accessibility. The incubation period is fully market-oriented. 

Ma Haibo, two of whose works were chosen by Peiyuan, appraised the powerful influence of this operation mode. "It greatly helped me in each stage, and introduced several institutions that want to cooperate with me, giving more opportunities to my scripts and myself to have a deeper understanding of the drama industry."