The Great Wall of China, Forbidden City,Terra-Cotta Warriors,Yangtze River, Bird's Nest, Water Cube....

The Introduction of Tang Dynasty Show

The Tang Dynasty Theatre proudly presents to you a performance of Changan Music and Dance which originated over a thousand years ago in Changan, the capital of The Tang Dynasty, which is now known as Xian. The Tang Dynasty lasted from 618AD to 907AD. During this time China experienced tremendous culture, artistic and technological achievements. Even now, modern Chinese culture owes much to the historical legacies of The Tang Dynasty.

Tang music and dance not only inherit the songs and dance of the preceding dynasties but also assimilate the new and exotic cultures that came along the Silk Road. Xi'an was at the crossroads where. Traditional Chinese folk dances originate from sacrificial rituals, where rhythmic movements and prayers combined to appease the gods and progressed with the development of Chinese culture. It was during the flourishing Tang Dynasty that these dances became a graceful art form. Combined with authentic Tang musical instruments - bells, drums and zithers - the show is a cultural experience that is both extravagant and entertaining.

The performance will be staged in four segments
The first performance is a Tang Dynasty instrumental entitled THE KING OF EVER. During the performance you will see various Chinese musical instruments which are no longer in use. This piece celebrates the appreciation of the people towards their Ruler who had brought peace, wealth and tranquility to the Kingdom. At Royal Banquets, the court musical masters played this grand number to praise the Emperor, and to wish him a long and happy life. It is hoped that the magnificence and wealth fo the Tang era will be conveyed to you through this vivid and lively performance.

CULTURAL DANCE SEGMENT
The second segment features four dances of different moods. The first presentation is the WHITE RAMIC CLOTH COSTUME DANCE. This dance was choreographed as a demonstration fo the flowing quality fo Ramie Cloth, which was invented by the Chinese some 1500 years ago. The DA NUO, a sorcere's dance, was meant to expel epidemics and ghosts and to solicit wellbeing. During the Tang period, this masked dance was performed in the courts and among the noble every New Year's Eve. The third presentation is entitled the RAINBOW COSTUME DANCE, a very famous dance from the Tang Dynasty. According to legend, the Tang Emperor Xuan Zong dreamt he had traveled to the Palace of the Moon, where he saw celestial women, clothed in feathers and rosy clouds dancing in the sky.

INSTRUMENTAL MUSICAL
After a series of sensational dancing performance, we will then present to you a unique and incredibly complex hand-plucked stringed instrument musical called"Happy String Outing". In this performance, our musical masters will demonstrate their superb skills by playing captivating melodies to praise the graceful beauty of early Spring. This scene depicts the lifestyle and customs of the noble classes as they gathered along the Qujiang River outside ancient Changan to celebrate the New Year and the great prosperity and harmony of the Tang Empire.

FINAL
The final presentation is THE TAGE, a clog dance. This style of dance is an age-old tradition that was popular in the palaces as well as among the common people of the Tang period. This dance represents the people celebrating the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival in a beautiful area near the Emperor's palace at the foot of Li Shan mountain. As the people are joyfully dancing, the Tang Emperor appears and joins in the celebration. For the people of ancient days, this was a distinctive honour. In this performance, the Tang Emperor will parade with his noble men through the festival grounds to give his blessings to the people of his kingdom.