Renowned Chinese dancer and choreographer Yang Liping wowed thousands of American viewers by presenting her latest masterpiece "Under Siege."

After successful runs in Asia, Europe and Australia, the acclaimed dance epic made its U.S. debut on Thursday at the Davd Koch Theater of the Lincoln Center in New York City.

Presented by Yang Liping Contemporary Dance, the dance drama is based on an oft-told Chinese historic event, following the make-or-break battle between Chu and Han forces, which led to the establishment of the Han dynasty in 202 BC, which changed the course of Chinese history.

Born in 1958 in Dali, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Yang is a household name in the country. She obtained nationwide fame for her signature Dai peacock dance in 1986 with the classic original solo piece "Spirit of the Peacock."

More than a throwback to ancient battle fields, her newest production is a remarkable fusion of contemporary and Chinese folk dance, martial arts, traditional paper cutting, Peking Opera costumes, installment art and hip-hop.

Combining time-honored cultural traditions with modern artistic expressions, it is hailed as "an extraordinary feat of theater" by the Dance Australia. British daily newspaper The Guardian described it as an "aesthetic triumph," featuring "arresting battle scenes which blur the line between martial arts and dance."

The "visually ravishing" production has garnered raving reviews since its domestic premiere in 2015, especially for its bold innovation in the set and costume design, which is at the helm of the globally famed Chinese art director and designer Tim Yip.

Yip is best known for his work on the 2002 martial arts feature "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," for which he pocketed an Academy Award for Best Art Direction and a BAFTA award for the film's costume design.

For Yip, "Under Siege" is a creation that "returns to the tradition," for instance, they utilize the costumes, as well as the gong and drum, from Peking Opera in the new production.

Cooperating with the director Yang, he also attempted to achieve particularly "distinct" effects through a "mature experiment."

Yang described the drama as a piece of work about "harm," which "showcases the desires and fear at the core of humanity."

Thousands of scissors hang from the ceiling, creating an atmosphere where crises and dangers lurk in the corners, while red feathers floating in the air symbolize blood flowing.

The visual director revealed that numerous floating feathers posed great challenges to the dancers but they eventually overcome all the difficulties and are able to do dramatic and powerful performances.

Aside from 17 dancers, the highly stylized performance includes two musicians playing traditional Chinese instruments – pipa, a four-stringed Chinese lute, and zheng, a 21-or 25-stringed plucked instrument similar to a zither. On stage is also a traditional paper-cutting artist, who cuts white papers into shapes throughout the show.

The melodious delivery and artistic blends send traditional Chinese cultural vibes into every corner of the theater and won viewers' hearts.

The cast received a nearly-10-minute standing ovation when Yang showed up on stage during the curtain call on Thursday evening.

"I think the audience was very impressed and gripped by the action and the emotion that was being expressed during the show," said Chuck Oliver, a fan of Chinese culture, adding, "I hope there's more of this coming from China to the United States, and there are more people who appreciate the value of this."

"It was gorgeous. It's just such a strong performance. I'm so inspired," said Jacinth who drove two hours from the state of Connecticut for the show.

The Chinese dance drama was one of the highlights of the 53rd Mostly Mozart Festival, an annual summer event at the Lincoln Center. The last performance was on August 10.

(Cover image by Gao Hongmei)