Impression West Lake

　　Staged entirely upon the lake itself, Impression West Lake, directed by Zhang Yimou, is a grand open-air show of light, music, dance and theatrics. First initiated in 2007, Impression West Lake deploys the lake and its surroundings as props to create a life-like charming background. Through the vividly performed folklores and myths of Hangzhou, Impression West Lake highly exhibits the deep-rooted culture and natural beauty of Hangzhou.

　　Impression west lake is another live performance of “Impression serial” after Impression liusanjie and Impression Lijiang. Based on rich history culture and excellent natural landscaping, after in-depth ancient fairy tale, folk stories, Impression west lake pays a lot of attention on the representative figures, meanwhile with the assistance of high tech, recreates western lake rain for reflecting the natural power of rain in west lake and west lake’s rain. Through animation and real picture show, city Hangzhou and natural landscape combines and reach a peak for high-class arts banquet. The audience not only watch a high-class water and mountain landscape acting but also enjoy a world-class concert.

　　Yuehu Lake Scenic Area is the venue of Impression West Lake. There is a retractable and moveable platform to hold 1800 audiences at the south of Yuehu Lake Tower. With the combination of live environment and high-end technologies, Impression West Lake extends varied marvelous visual appeal to audience in accordance with the natural changesAll the acting are made above the water, with natural mountain, water and scenery as the natural stage, it is what we called “west lake live performance show”. This is a concept for water theatre. It owns a vast visual room of accumulated thousands of years’ culture. It is not a dance, sing, play or evening party. All the performance must be lined with the natural landscape. Thus it is exclusively and can not be replaced. Natural environment is one part of performance, as the change of four seasons, climate is different too. Accompanied with the change of natural landscape, the visual image from the natural stage is different too. That is the real reason live performance so charming.

　　There are five parts of performance.

　　The first Part: meet

　　A white crane fly afar and turn into a young man. At same time, another white crane fly and turn into a lady. The couple enjoy the wonderful time on the lake. In the dreamy fog and rain, a silk umbrella is the evidence for the love of young couple. It is the first-time meet of lady white snake and Xuxian.

　　The second part: Falling into love

　　Fish in west lake are all spiritual. In the love lake, they flirt and play on fun in the lake. Similar on the stage in the boat, a fish and water play is acting. Love is a promise sourced from the spirit. Only if heart and spirit relying on each other, intimate can be felt from the wonderful love world as fish play with water and heaven seeks harmony from earth.

　　The third part: Bid farewell

　　The happy moment is short as fireworks. Loud drum sounds sufferings which imply a tremendous power to apart the couple. The white crane of the lady are finally dead, similar to the tragedy of Xuxian and lady white snake. There is always suffering hidden behind meet. Bid fare well is the next step after meet however bid farewell can be the everlasting in the paradise…The forth part: Recollection

　　When the guy made by white crane came back the spot initially meeting the lady crane, though many pretty girls passing by, the lover had already gone. He recollected the rain exactly made for the couple, seek the ship once offering promise. The by-gone lover seemed only twinkle in the gloomy while the guy recollect the bygone past at his own regret and wishes.

　　The five parts: Impression

　　As the lake, it is so elegant, profound and spiritual. As the love story of west lake is sad but not sorrow. The love partner suddenly appears but walk away by water. Meanwhile, there is a everlasting love walking for you slowly. It brings you to the myth end. You might think, if alive at the point, that would be the best. Everything needs not so earth-shakening, though only left with a rough image, but ends in unforgettable.