The romance of the song dynasty

　　The romance of the song dynasty is a must-visit show in one’s life and the soul for Song Dynasty scene and ranked as three most famous shows in the world together with the “O show in Las Vegas” and “the moulin rouge in Paris”. It depicts in an unexpecting manner with the most-advanced sound, lights, electrical skill and stage equipment for acting the suffering of

ancient Liangzhu, the brilliance of Song Dynasty Palace, the severe battle of Yue family troops with the love story of the Butterfly Lovers and Lady White Snake. The show fully depicts an active picture of silk, tea, smoke and drizzle with a heart-shaking visual experienceThe performance consists of five parts: the first part is highlighted with the civilization light of Liangzhu. In Neolithic period, the local people of Hangzhou created a great prehistoric civilization. This part show based on this historic discovery is themed with the worship to sun, the primitive sacrificing dancing, picking dancing and rice-planting dancing. It is a preparation period of the upcoming glory of Song Empire. The second part is highlighted with the feast and dancing of imperial palaces. It is the show of the glory and power of South Song Dynasty. The third part is highlighted with the warring time - shining spears and armored horses. In 1127, troop of Jin invaded Bailiang(today’s Kaifeng) and captured Emperor Huizong and Emperor Qinzong of North Song Dynasty, and this historic event is called Jingkang Incident(The Humiliation during Jingkang Reign). Song was forced to move to south China. Zhao Gou, the ninth son of Emperor Huizong established South Song Empire in Hangzhou. And General Yue Fei led his troop to fight against the north invasion in order to reoccupy the lost territory. This part is themed with the fighting experience of Yue Fei’s patriotic movement. The third part is the folklores of West Lake, and it shows the romantic love story of Lady White Snake, the Butterfly Lovers and many impressive local legends. The fourth part is the classic affection beyond the time; it is the end of the whole show.

       Culture attributes “The romance of the song dynasty” long-lasting life. The whole performance grasps the root and soul of essence of culture in Hangzhou. In the eyes of both domestic and exotic traveller, the romance of the song dynasty is not only a show, it is more regarded as a symbol for city Hangzhou, a sign for culture and history. As Broadway show in New York and the moulin rouge in Paris, one must watch the show once arrive city Hangzhou. The show passes around city history and culture, defines the cultural base for a city, combines with city as the cultural soul, and leaves an unforgettable history memory to the city.

　　Chinese Acrobatics is one of the oldest performing arts. Its history can be traced back to Neolithic times. It is believed that acrobatics grew out of labor and self-defense skills, which people practiced and demonstrated during their leisure time. The early performance is "walking on three-meter-high stilts while juggling seven gaggers". Then it developed into an entire art formTogether with the developing economy, acrobatics is also evolving into a kind of performing art. It became well known worldwide while performances are presented along the Silk Road. In Europe and North America, Chinese acrobatic performances always attract large audiences.

　　Many acrobatic shows come from the art performance of living skills and labor skills. Acrobatic show has a history of over 2000 years in China. It is named as “Baixi” in Han dynasty, “sanle” in Sui and Tang Dynasty, named as Acrobatic after Tang and Song dynasty in order to differentiate from acts in other forms.

　　There are nine specialties in acrobatic.

　　Acrobatic pays lot of attentions on leg and waist training. Since ancient, Chinese acrobat focus on the position “top”. There are many “Stand on one’s head”, and “somersault” depicted in ancient fresco and earthenwares. For Chinese acrobatic, including actor of ancient show, he should has very deep Kung Fu foundation.

　　“Stable” out of “steep” while “move” is out of “stable” are both for showing a very quiet and accurate hard skill. Such as walking on the steel rod which require all actions for stable. The moving bench and ladder, one after another, but needs the man on the top find the stable from the move and it require a stable head, super skill, and hard training . It shows fully the super skill of our mankind conquering danger and difficulties.

　　“Unique” is out of the “usual”. From none to everything, it fully shows our mankind creating the world. Different from western magic, which focus on colorful stage property, Chinese magic only needs very simple property. From cuisine to fish and bird alive, a simple long sleeve gown can turn out everything. Or one somersault can turn into a firing bronze basin or another one for a fish bowl with water and fish.

　　Hard and soft Kung Fu combines. Kicking is mostly acted by women. The actor lies and kick thing including wine jar, colorful bowl, clock, tables, ladder, wooden pole, wooden plate, drum and bell,  from weightless umbrella to heavy living persons. Things kicked is rotating quickly, jumping back and forth. From the smooth vase to heavy wooden desk, everything is kicked so quickly only for image, not for picture.

　　Super power and Nimble dexterous somersault combines. According to history record, the seat for human pyramid is quite amazing. Previously history record, 18 men seats on one man while 6 men seats on one man both appeared. Over a thousand jin including eight men seats on one man fully show the program well. The traditional “ Pulling the bow” and “playing with knife” are both heavy-loaded hard Kung Fu.

　　There are a great amount of living utensils and labor instruments used in the acrobatic show including bowl, plate, altar, handleless cup, rod, whip, fork, pole, ladder, desk, chair, umbrella and cap. Those normal things is changeable in the hands of acrobatic, fully exhibited a close tie between labor life with Chinese acrobatic show.

　　Simple arts and body arts combine. “playing fun with altar”, “rotating plate” combine both Porcelain painting with traditional Chinese acrobatic. In the kicking show, the colorful umbrella and colorful peddle the same offer feeling of ancient aesthetics.

　　Chinese acrobatic is quite accommodated in different style and various places. From market, theatre, lane, room with place of hundreds of people to only one, Chinese acrobatic is fit for any places with thousands years of history.

　　Chinese acrobatic has an intimate heritage tradition. One generation after another generation, regional, blood-related and sister arts,  previous acrobats are always inherited and passed around.

　　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.