The Fall of the House of Xia: A Historical Play

The Xia was the first dynasty of China. The last emperor of this dynasty was Chieh, a feared and hated king who was in a titanic struggle with the Lord of Shang for control of the Chinese empire. Who would be responsible for the fall of the House of Xia? The Xia general Hai Tao, who was in love with the concubine of Chieh, Pang Mi?, the religious Taoist high priest, Tung Lai, who plotted to get power for himself with the Lord of Shang?, or would it be Lord Shang himself, a shrewd and cunning ruler, who would eventually outmaneuver Chieh? Or would all of these characters eventually contribute to the fall of the House of Xia? Included is a short history of the Xia Dynasty that will help the reader better understand the play.