Classical Programs of Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show (2)

 Battling Dance of the King of Qin
This dance was usually performed by the soldiers to celebrate their triumph upon their return from the battlefield. It is said to be created by Emperor Taizong, who was the second emperor of the Tang Dynasty and titled the 'King of Qin' before his enthronement. Taizong used this dance to show off the empire's powerful military strength.

 Ta Ge Dance
Ta Ge Dance is a traditional dance performed by a group of many people. It endured for a long time and prevailed in the Tang Dynasty. On a festive day in mid-autumn, people gathered to sing and dance at the foot of Mt. Lishan where the Tang court had come to celebrate the harvest and worship the emperor. Today's Ta Ge Dance, with its magnificent scenery and cheerful music, is designed to display the harmonious and prosperous society of the Tang era.

Besides these classical programs, artists have also designed new performances. There are many tourist enterprises showing their own distinctive Tang Song and Dance performances. In the face of fierce competition, the Shaanxi Provincial Song & Dance Troupe displays bold innovation and a series of new programs for the Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show performed by the artists from that troupe have been highly regarded by the public. Among the various newly-designed programs, one of the most outstanding and successful in the recent years has been the Song of Unending Sorrow.

 The Song of Unending Sorrow
It is adapted from the famous poem written by Bai Juyi, an eminent poet of the Tang Dynasty. The tragic love story of Emperor Xuanzong and his favorite concubine Yang Yuhuan narrated in this poem is familiar to Chinese people. Shaanxi Provincial Song & Dance Troupe adapted the story and turned it into a performance combining acting, singing and dancing. Being first staged in the summer of 2006 at the Huaqing Palace, the very scene of the original story at Mt. Lishan, the performance of the Song of Unending Sorrow attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists. Such a large-scale program, with the assistance of the modern technology of colorful lights, acoustics, etc., is an ingenious combination of the cultural heritage and the natural beauty.