Review: Nüshu – Written for Her, on Her, by Her (Fringe 2025)

Guest reviewer Liwei Teng went along to Temple @ C Arts to see this poetic, multi-sensory ritual that honours lost women’s voices.

A tranquil space for a powerful ritual

There’s something magical about the way Fringe shows can transport you. One moment I was weaving through the crowds and buskers on the Royal Mile; the next, I had stepped into the wood-panelled calm of C aquila (temple), an atmospheric little theatre tucked inside the Roman Eagle Lodge at Johnston Terrace.

It set the tone perfectly for Nüshu: Written for Her, on Her, by Her, a meditative and emotionally charged piece that feels less like a show and more like a ceremonial ritual.

Inspired by an ancient secret script

Inspired by the ancient, women-only writing script of Nüshu, this interdisciplinary piece honours the quiet resistance of women who created their own language in 19th-century rural China, a tradition believed could be traced its roots as far back as the Shang Dynasty over 3,000 years ago. Denied access to formal education, women in Jiangyong County invented their own script to share poems, songs, and letters of comfort. That quiet defiance lies at the heart of this work.

Created by Jiayi Chen and her collaborators, the piece blends contemporary dance, spoken word, and body calligraphy into a poetic and visually rich performance. Jiayi paints delicate Nüshu characters on skin with traditional ink, while movement and gesture flow between performers in a meditative rhythm.

Jiayi describes it as a personal letter: “To the women I’ve lost: my grandmother, who forgets my name, and the sisters who vanished without farewell. Their stories were never written in history, so I write them on skin, with ink, with movement, with love.” It’s a touching sentiment, and it shows.

Subtle storytelling with a few technical stumbles

While the performance is thoughtful and sincere, it assumes a certain level of cultural context that may not be accessible to every audience member. It invites you to lean in, to sit with silence, and to feel, rather than simply follow. If you’re willing to do that, the result is quietly powerful.

There were a few technical stumbles: one or two moments I felt slightly overlong, and from my seat in the mid-auditorium, Jiayi’s voice occasionally dropped too low to hear clearly, which was a shame as her words carried emotional weight. That said, the storytelling, choreography, and costume all contributed to a layered and moving experience that championed women’s empowerment through expressive movement and emotional depth.

A beautiful mark that lingers

In a festival bursting with big voices and bold punchlines, Nüshu stands out for its intimate, personal and poetic rhythm. I left feeling reflective and quietly uplifted.

The final gesture was particularly memorable: Jiayi painted a Nüshu character onto each audience member’s hand.

I didn’t know what mine meant, but it was a beautiful mark to carry with me for the day.

Jiayi is an Edinburgh-based artist and runs workshops about Nüshu, so if this kind of historical beauty speaks to you, there’s more to explore.

Written by: Liwei Teng (@liweiteng_art)

Liwei Teng is an Edinburgh-based interdisciplinary artist whose practice explores the intersections of contemporary art, philosophy, neurology, and social issues. She is a passionate advocate for mothers, parent-carers, and underrepresented voices. In addition to her visual work, she writes poetry and literature in both Chinese and English. Writing reviews for Edinburgh Reviews is one of her favourite creative pastimes.