After a short delay at Chongqing airport we boarded our flight to Xian. The flight crosses one of the tallest mountain ranges in central Chia that divides the Yangtze basin from the north. Paul our guide had warned us that because of the heavy storm of two night’s ago in Fengdu that there would be a lot of turbulence as we crossed the mountains and so it proved to be! Trying to drink an orange juice with a modern A320 bucking like a bronco was hard work – but we survived without mishap.
A quick wash and brush-up and we left for our evening meal and a performance of the Tang Dynasty Show a colourful and wonderful performance of ancient music and dance. Xian was formerly known as Chang'an and has a very long history, and was the imperial capital during 13 dynastic periods- we are in Xian of course to see the Terra Cotta Army.- The Tang Dynasty (618 - 907) was the most prosperous and glorious of all and the Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show is a vibrant example of the culture of this ancient stable and prosperous society.
According to the China Travel Guide - http://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/shaanxi/xian/dinnershow/
As an art form, the show is said to have its roots in folk fetes, when dances were first performed by people as part of rituals of prayer for a good harvest or a better life. Over thousands of years, the dances developed from a few simple postures or gestures to become delicate and artistic reaching a peak during the Tang Dynasty. Unlike some other regimes, the Tang was open to outside influences and was willing to take in the best of various art forms of not only the past dynasties but also the ethnic groups in the northwestern China as well as central and western Asia. The show uses awide range of unusual oriental musical instruments (The photo shows a professor of music playing Chinese pan pipes created to mimic the song of Aureole birds) an by combining poetry with the skilled playing of these instruments, singing,dancing and also stunning costumes, the modern presentation provided a veryentertaining and impressive view of ancient China.
Another very entertaining insight into Chinese culture – the dinner was good as well – but it was good to get back to the hotel for a relatively early night I preparation for another highlight tomorrow – the Terra Cotta Warriors.
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