This project originated from artist Hung-Chih Peng’s acquisition of an old house situated on a hillside in Keelung. Left behind by the former owner were a posthumous portrait of a man—partially obscured by newspaper, revealing only the chin—and an antiquated respirator. To the artist, these residual objects appeared to compose the mise-en-scène of an untold narrative. In response, Peng initiated an interdisciplinary collaboration with Gang-a Tsui Theater, employing experimental approaches of video production and site-specific performance to seek solace and repose for the departed soul, enabling it to depart peacefully toward the other shore.

In the first phase of video production, Peng mounted a camera and a spotlight on his forehead, simulating a “celestial eye” viewpoint that approximates the visual position of a wandering spirit. His uncanny bodily movements evoke a ritualistic sense of supernatural attunement, guiding the audience into the refined choreographic vocabulary of Liyuan Opera and the unhurried, resonant soundscape of Nanguan music, through which an imaginative meditation on the life of the deceased gradually unfolds.

The second phase takes the form of a site-specific performance, inviting audiences to ascend the Keelung hillside where the old house is located. Led by the musicians and performers of Gang-a Tsui Theater, the journey begins with Admiring the Flowers (〈賞花〉), opening into an exploratory passage that proceeds through A Husband’s Pursuit of Merit and Fame (〈夫為功名〉), imbued with political allegory. This is followed by Spring Will Not Return; the Unfilial Grandson (〈春今卜返．孫不肖〉), a metaphorical reflection on the parent–child relationship of the former homeowner. The performance then approaches its conclusion through ritual repertoires, including Before the Disciple’s Altar, Entering the Garden Directly (〈弟子壇前．直入花園〉) and The Painted Hall Adorned with Festive Colors (〈畫堂彩結〉).