Dance drama Liu Sanjie begins national tour

An all-new dance drama honoring Liu Sanjie, a legendary singer of the Zhuang ethnic group reputed for singing antiphonal songs, has begun its national tour. 

The first show was staged at Beijing Tianqiao Performing Arts Center on May 22. Forty-seven diplomats from 15 countries, including Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Vietnam, Mexico, Russia, and Indonesia, were among the spectators.

Liu Sanjie, which literally translates to third-born daughter of the Liu family, was said to be born in Guangxi during the Tang Dynasty (618–907). Hordes of people challenged her in singing and left defeated by her tuneful songs.

Coveting her beauty and talent, a local tyrant wanted to take her as his concubine. Liu, already in love with a young man named A'niu, jumped into a pond and rose to the heavens on a carp to become immortal. A movie in 1961 helped spread the legend to all of Southeast Asia, where it was an instant hit.

The dance drama is the first time that Liu's story has been interpreted in the form of dance. It was choreographed by the publicity department of the CPC Nanning municipal committee and Nanning culture, radio, television and tourism bureau, paying tribute to the kindness, sincerity, conscientiousness, and faithful love of Liu Sanjie.

Compared with previous works about Liu Sanjie, the dance drama has retained most of the classic folk songs and added even more Zhuang ethnic cultural elements. The role of the tyrant as a purely villainous character has been reduced to make the show more interesting.