River / Cloud is a theatrical poem that pays homage to the most famous pair of misplaced lovers in Taiwanese theater and on the Chinese-speaking stage. The two protagonists— Jiang (“river”) Binliu and Yun (“cloud”) Zhifan of Secret Love in Peach Blossom Land —met, fell in love, and separated in Shanghai in 1948. They reunite in a hospital ward in Taipei after forty years. Both gray-haired.

For his 40th original play, playwright/director Stan Lai invites Lin Ching-hsia, Huang Lei, and Ismene Ting, who once played Jiang and Yun in previous productions, to provide letters for the two lovers. The famous singer Parangalan makes his appearance and conducts on stage without explicit explanation, paying tribute to the compound structure of the original play Secret Love in Peach Blossom Land. Chang Chen and Hsiao Ai play Jiang and Yun, young and old. The rich scenes from the letters and a special time in Taiwan history are completed by eleven actors.