Realm of Flowers marks 60 years of Guangxi

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This year marks the 60th anniversary of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in south China. On Monday, a dance drama debuted in Beijing to mark the occasion. The show, titled "The Realm of Flowers," blends the ancient myths of the Zhuang ethnic culture with modern stage techniques.

The production was inspired by the myths and legends of the Zhuang people, the biggest ethnic minority in Guangxi. It combines the ageless legend of the Goddess of Flowers with the love story of a young couple.

With distinctive sensitivity and imagination, the show gives full display to the vitality and love of life inherent in the Zhuang culture.

"It goes beyond dance itself. There's cultural substance behind it. You have to understand the ethnic way of life in order to present it on the stage. You have to extract the essence," Tong Ruirui, creator of the dance, said.

With distinctive sensitivity and imagination, the show gives full display to the vitality and love of life inherent in the Zhuang culture. /VCG Photo

"The show has been created with an international perspective. You can see the influence of contemporary art. Actually, modernism has its roots in traditions. The dance drama reinvented the cultural heritage in a new way," dance critic Feng Shuangbai said.

The show was created after years of field studies among the Zhuang communities in Guangxi. Its choreography and costume design drew heavily on the daily life of the ethnic group and their annual cycle of celebrations.

The Beijing premiere will be followed by a tour of major Chinese cities and countries in Southeast Asia.