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| 中國漓江山水劇場 Li River Mountain-Water Theatre - World largest natural theater |
This biggest natural stage in the world is built on the Li River, stretches for 2 kilometers in length with 12 mountain peaks as background. The large-scaled lights system and special smoke-effect system create a dreamlike world for the audiences. The sound system of the theatre is invisible-designed, and use the echo of the mountain to gain a natural stereophony effect.
Some of the performers are the young singers from the villages of ethnic group of Dong and other ethnic minorities. They sing with natural untrained voices and dance with spontaneous style. With a real gorgeous landscape as background, these girls are extraordinary beautiful and organic.
The Live Show : 《印象·劉三姐》IMPRESSION LIU SANJIE
中國漓江山水劇場 Li River Mountain-Water Theatre - World largest natural theater
We watched plays in the theater and used to the stage, lights, and sound equipment inside a building. But there is an alternative way of enjoying a live performance in a natural environment.
"Impression Sanjie Liu" first premiered performance was premiered on March 20th, 2004 at the Sanjie Liu Sing Fair, one mile from West Street (Xi Jie).
The name "Liu Shanjie" is meaningless to the non Chinese. To make the show title more easy reading and understanding the show is marketed as "Impressions Light Show in Yangshuo" by tour group to non Chinese. "Impressions Light Show in Yangshuo" and "Impression Liu Shanjie".
The sound equipment are installed in harmony with the natural environment. The valleys, the hills, the cool breeze and the gurgling streams are all elements contributing to the three-dimensional sound effect.
This is really a new concept opera using nature as an integral part of its performers; and the Chinese called this new concept 'Human's Masterpiece Cooperated with the God'.
More than 600 people involved in this play. Most of them are fishermen from the 5 villages along the river. In daytime, they work on the river for a living, and when night fall, these fishermen with their bamboo rafts perform before the eyes of 3,000 visitors from around the worlds.
Folk songs and fishing nets together created an impression of singing in an antiphonal style. The red fishing nets fluttering on the river are moving melodies and the men behind the red nets are musical notes that jump with joy.
"Impression Liu Sanjie" 印象劉三姐 is the core show in this Li River Mountain-Water Theatre. The large-scale performance was invested by Guilin Guang wei Wenhua Tourism and Culture Co. Ltd, and took 5 years to completed. This performance expresses the beautiful scenery of the Li River, The colorful culture of the ethnic groups in Guangxi and the brave imagination of the artists in China. A first of its kind in the world.
This 1 hour live performance creatively combines the classical Sanjie Liu’s Mountain Songs 劉三姐山歌 (folk songs), ethnic groups’ culture and the fishing lights together to reflect the harmonious atmosphere between human beings and the nature.
No photography is allowed. But throughout the performance, flash light from camera were flashed every now and then. And I snapped a few shoots and manage to captured these few images as above. But the performance was just too amazing not to share more images with you. So, at below, I downloaded a few clearer images and link to a couple of video from the internet just to share with you.
"Impression on Sanjie Liu"
A film 'Sanjie Liu' produced in 1961 made the Li River famous worldwide.
Sanjie Liu is a fairy singer in the myths and legends of the Zhuang ethnic minority.
She is beautiful and has an equally beautiful voice.
In this modern stage perform we watch today the 'Impression Sanjie Liu', are some "Impressions" derived from the daily life of the people living around the Li River, rather than the specific details of the stories.
From these impressions, you will gain a realistic impression on the background of Liu Sanjie's birthplace and understand the beauty of the folk songs' hometown.
The show beginning with lights gradually turned off one after another. The image of Sanjie appears indistinctly in the sky with song
'Sing the folk songs, here I am singing and there you are echoing...'.
As the lights come up, the twelve hills appear in front of the audients; and a small fishing boat is rowed from the hills. This is the Preface - the Legend of Hills and Rivers.
The performance is divided into seven chapters including the preface and epilogue:
1st : The first chapter is the Red Impression: Folk Songs. On the water, many fishermen are rowing their bamboo rafts in a column. Some standing some squatting, they hang the large red silk in the sky and or upon the water. This red picture symbolizes the enthusiasm and praises the labors of the local people.
2nd : The second chapter is the Green Impression - Impression on Sanjie Liu : Garden. Color green symbolizes nature and vitality. Among the green hills and rivers, the smoke from cooking fires curls upward; herders are heading home with their cattle under the gleam of the sunset. The women, washing clothes beside the water are waiting for their husbands who are rowing the fishing rafts back home. This chapter tells us the peaceful and happy life of the local people.
3rd : The third chapter is the Golden Impression: Fishing Lights. Hundreds of bamboo rafts with golden fishing lights spreading all over the river. The rafts, gently rocking make the golden fishing lights dance upon the waters, the straw rain capes, the frolic cormorants and the hills construct a perfect picture describing the simple existence of the people around the Li River.
4th : The fourth chapter is the Blue Impression: Love Songs. Under the deep blue sky, and on the dark blue water, the performer of Sanjie is singing classical love songs. Then, a crescent-shaped boat with a charming fairy dancing in is flying onto the surface of the water. A group of pretty and young girls, dressed in red or white are bathing around the boat. In this blue world, these beautiful girls seem to become the notes of Sanjie's love songs.
7th : The last chapter is the Silvery Impression: Performance Grand Ceremony. As the 'Wonder of Lijiang Culture', this scenery reflects the traditional ceremony in Sanjie's hometown according to the legend. Over 200 Zhuang girls form a long column across the bridge over the Li River. Their silver dresses make the river shimmer in a mysterious manner. As the fishing rafts are rowed farther and farther from the audience the beautiful songs of Sanjie are still echoing among the hills. The girls on the bridge present their thanks for the audience with their affectionate folk songs.
The following video from YouTube was uploaded by Kola Duan shot on July 29, 2012. Though this video was shot two years after me and my two children watched the real show in Kuilin in 2010, the show remain unchanged.
This live performance boasts of modern and classical music by famous musicians of China. There are over 600 performers, all are local people of the Li River. They present the reality of life for the people in Sanjie's hometown through their primitive and wonderful performances.
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