Friday, 19th April, 2013.
The Tang Dynasty lasted from 618-907 AD. During this time, China experienced tremendous cultural, artistic and technological achievements. Off we went to a performance of music and dance which originated in Cháng’ān, the capital of the Tang Dynasty, now of course known as Xī’ān.
The foyer of the theatre was sumptuously decorated in Tang Dynasty style.
We were seated at a table which had a very good view of the stage. The first item, “The King of Ever”, was an instrumental piece celebrating the appreciation of the people towards their ruler, who had brought peace and wealth to the Chinese kingdom.
Pat commented that not one of these instrumentalists was ugly. Not only did they have to be able to play these ancient instruments, they had to look good as well.
We were given these very beautiful and comprehensive souvenir programs, printed especially for Gate 1. (That’s how I know all this stuff.)
Inside the program.
Dinner menu.
I’m guessing that this is “Pearls of Cathay” (but only because none of the cutlery has been used yet).
Fermented liquor was served in a traditional three-legged cup.
The Tang court musicians wish the king a long and happy life.
They even spell it out for him.
The White Ramie Cloth Dance was choreographed as a demonstration of the flowing quality of ramie cloth, claimed to have been invented by the Chinese. Ramie is a flowering plant in the nettle family, and ramie cloth has been around for so long that it was even used in mummy cloths in Egypt during the period 5000–3300 BC.
Trivia: For the 2010 Prius, Toyota began using a new range of plant-derived ecological bioplastics made from the cellulose in wood or grass instead of petroleum. One of the two principal crops used is ramie.
The Rainbow Costume Dance is a very famous dance from the Tang Dynasty. According to legend, the Tang Emperor Xuan Zong dreamt he had travelled to the Palace of the Moon, where he saw celestial women, clothed in feathers and rosy clouds, dancing in the sky.
After the Emperor awoke, his favourite concubine Yang Gui Fei, renowned as one of the four most beautiful women in Chinese history, choreographed and performed this dance according to the Emperor’s recollection.
Happy Spring Outing. The noble classes gather along the Qujiang River outside ancient Cháng’ān to celebrate the New Year and the great prosperity and harmony of the Tang Dynasty. After this came Spring Oriole’s Song played by Mr Gao Ming, the internationally recognised premier performer of the three thousand year old Pai Xiao, a kind of pan pipe. This truly was a remarkable performance which I somehow managed not to photograph.
The Emperor joined in the flourishing grand finale, to bestow his blessing on the people.
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