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Published: August 4th 2012
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Yangshuo Show 1
The performers welcomes us with a folk song We were one of the first few to have arrived the theatre. This theatre resembles the times in Rome during the Roman Empire where once Julius Caesar took the stage, “Romans Romans lend me your ears”. As usual, my wild imaginations took control of me sometime but mostly not at the right time.
Ahead of us it was pitch dark, the only area with the lights on was where we seated. I could see more and more people filling up the seats. I was a bit curious what was about to happen. Soft Chinese music began to fill the air, singers began their song and came running from behind us. Stood in front, welcoming us with their happy folk song. They were so stunning, clad in different costumes and headdresses to represent their ethnic and cultures in Guilin.
Soon after they left, on the far right, across the lake, lights shone on another group. They were the villagers. They sang and do their bouts like any villagers; ladies with baskets hanging on their arms, teasing us with handkerchiefs, men led their buffaloes to the paddy fields, fishermen at the jetty mending nets and some on the small fishing boats
about to sail off hoping to have a good catch for the day. Lights off.
Lights were on in front of us this time. Entered the farmers on the river. Each held up the cloth curtain, slicing the water as they walked. Like they were tending the paddy fields, creating a silhouette effect was simply breathtaking. Everyone sigh.
The maiden and the fishermen sail in; brought in many fishermen to join the farmers. This story is about their daily lives on the paddy fields and the river of Guilin. The performance was excellent with the ending, folding up the cloth curtain together for the next act.
The next act is about the fishermen sailing back in the night from the day’s work. With the huge crescent as the backdrop was simply beautiful. They passed by lighted trees and a house as they make their journey. The moon goddess dances gracefully on the crescent creating more magical moment as the fishermen sail their way home.
They should put on songs like “Red Sails in the Sunset” by the Platters and Rod Stewarts “I am Sailing” would be fun and every Chinese will go “Uh?”. "Wa Men Pu
Ming Pai Leh" - We don't understand leh !
Kill me please, Chuckle!
The whole scene was in darkness until the lights lighted up on them when they make the first step on the platform as they forward their path towards us. They walked the lake criss-cross. The costumes are black with bulbs on them even on their headdress. The reflections of the lake is so beautiful, that you can just imagine what great ideas they have come up with to make this show so successfully. Believe me, they have the biggest theatre on Earth. Their imaginations and creativity are so much wider than mine. Ahem!
There was a ceremony of the village wedding to end the show. The glittering walking performers as backdrop against the beautiful landscape of mountainous Yangshuo, topped with performers running down towards us from the stadium, rendering their beautiful folk songs of Yangshuo were simply incredible. The bridegroom stood on two broad timbers, carried by his men to meet the beautiful bride. But where is the bride? Stood quite close to me with her bridesmaid in between us that almost spoilt my mood or I would have said "Hi" to her. We
were so close yet so far apart. I just let her go.
What a way to end the show!
Happy to have witness such a performance by the simple village people of Guilin.
This is the Impression of Liu Sanjie that merges with depicting the rural life along the banks of Li River and the Tianjiahe River. This theatre is known as Lijiang Theatre in Guilin. It is an open air theatre with backdrops of real scenes of 2km distance of the Li River and their famous 12 limestone mountains. This is the natural landscape of Yangshuo, Guilin. There are 600 hundred performers, mostly fishermen in nearby villages. Directed by the famous Mr. Chang Yimou. The same person who was responsible for the Opening Ceremony of the Beijing Olympics in 2008.
The show of a Lifetime.
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