Charming Western Hunan Theatre, which is founded in 2001, is the oldest theatre in
Wulingyuan Scenic Area,
Zhangjiajie. After many years’ development, it has become a famous tourist and cultural performance entity. This show contains strong distinctive ethnic feature and has enjoyed a high reputation in Hong Kong, China mainland, Taiwan and other Chinese region, as well as South Korea, Japan, Southeast Asia and other places. Charming Xiangxi Grand Theatre, which can take in 2800 population, is situate in Zhangjiajie World Geopark and Wulingyuan scenic area, where have beautiful scenery and towering peaks. It is simple but elegant, matching with Wulingyuan natural scenery.
In thirteen years, “Zhangjiajie Charming Western Hunan show” succeeded in inviting a large number of folk artists from the mountain villages and exhibited the “San Min” culture to the audiences which has been hidden deeply in the mountains and on the verge of extinction. Charming Xiangxi worked with Guang and Fenghuang Theatre, Hanan Folk Dance Troupe and Hunan Song and Dance Theatre to sublimate the folk music based on the retaining of the original ecological folk culture of Great Xiangxi. It integrates the traditional folk art, craft with modern sound, light and electricity technology perfectly and ultimately creates “Fire & Drum”, “Eternal Border Town Cui” and “Chasing Love in Xiangsi Building” etc.
Charming Xiangxi Show
The main list of Charming Xiangxi show
•Xiangxi corpse driving
We now imagine the horrible scene—-there is a barren rugged path on the mountain surrounded by trees. It is dark and a cold crescent hung in the sky. At this time, a crisp sound of bell comes from the silent forest. On such deserted path at such deep night, a team of people suddenly appear to make the wild animals in the forest silent. The bells get closer and you can hear faintly the sound of footsteps. The sound of footsteps is quiet strange. It sounds like someone is jumping. Finally, we can see horribly that a man wearing a dark blue robe walks in front of a group of people. He shakes the bell while walking. The people behind him wear high hat and large black robes. You can not see their face because they stuck yellow sheet of paper with strange marks on their foreheads. These are the driven corpses. They stretch their upper body and behave stiffly. They jump quite neatly and hard. And there is only the horrible and harsh sound around. Well this is the scene of corpse driving.
Tips: This show is to satisfy the curiosity of audiences and allow them to feel the unique geographical human culture of Xiangxi. Due to the horrible music and ghastly scene, the audiences should look after the elder, the children and women around.
Charming Xiangxi Show
•The drum dance of Miao
The drum dance of Chinese Miao is the most unique art of dance in China’s Miao regions. It is quite popular in the Xiangxi Tujia and Miao autonomous prefecture in Hunan province. The drum dance of Miao honors a long history. It is said to create in the ritual activities of Miao before Chinese Han dynasty. With time flies, this kind of dance has become a favorite one for people.
•Wedding lament (Tujia Kujia)
Tujia Kujia means the Tu minority cry for the girl that is going to get married on that day. The bride herself will cry too. Of course it does not mean the sad mood of people, and it is just the custom of the marriage.
•Chasing love
While “chasing love” is performed, a collection of interaction conversations are added, such as “ couples talking about chasing love”, “love for a lifetime”. And since the show “chasing love” is performed by Zhangjiajie “Charming Xiangxi Art Troupe”, at CCTV Spring Festival Party, it has become a hot topic to discuss for many lovers. An incomplete statistics show that since February 10, Charming Xiangxi Great Theater has attracted nearly a thousand audiences per day, among which couples and lovers account for over 30%.
Charming Western Hunan Show
Venue: Charming Western Hunan Grand Theatre
Adress: Western Hunan International Cultural Square, No. 20 Guihua Road, Wulingyuan District, Zhangjiajie
Duration: about 1.5 hours (19:30-21:00)