A source of inspiration

Sonam Dargye was a county official who organized China's first armed anti-poaching team and brought eight illegal poaching gangs to justice. In 1994, he and four team members captured 20 armed poachers in Qinghai's Hoh Xil, seizing seven cars and more than 1,800 Tibetan antelope hides. He made the ultimate sacrifice when the poachers attacked him during their transportation. He was killed in the fight.

In this production, the wild animals are represented mainly through the character of the snow leopard, performed by dancer Yang Zheng, as Sanjiangyuan is considered their natural habitat.

When the overall choreography was completed, the crew went on a field trip to Sanjiangyuan. Tong says that from her observation, after coming back from the journey, Yang immediately adopted a new understanding of snow leopards and presented the creature with more energy in her dance.

"The production presents culture from the headwaters and the energy from the mountains. The snow leopard is almost like a symbol of vitality, forever standing on the snow-covered plateau, presenting the value and power of life," Yang says.

Scriptwriter of the dance drama Luo Huaizhen also says that the field trips were a great inspiration for the creators and the performers. Apart from the headwaters, the team also went to museums and historical sites across the province to research, and draw inspiration from, history and folk culture.