Lavish spending delivers 21 new theaters
Henan has once again demonstrated its tremendous commitment to celebrating traditional art by opening 21 opera theaters in the provincial capital, Zhengzhou. The 21 theaters opened in early June.
The cluster of theaters, on which nearly 6 billion yuan ($925 million) has been lavished, offers immersive drama experiences based on stories about land, food and heritage.
The goal is to enable the public to enjoy traditional culture and learn about the history of the country's central plain.
The group of theaters has been widely praised for the scale and quality of its art shows and theatrics that immerse audiences in what is being presented.
The theaters are one result of Henan's efforts to integrate the traditional with the modern.
The province is a cradle of Chinese civilization, with a treasure trove of cultural heritage that can be presented in many new and different ways to appeal to the public.
About two hours of drive from the theaters, a royal scene from the past has been presented on stage in the Longmen Grottoes Scenic Area in Luoyang, in Henan's west.
Visitors are taken back 1,500 years to relive what was portrayed in the Emperor and Empress' Ceremony to the Buddha, a pair of grotto artworks that once graced the walls of a cave of the Longmen Grottoes.
They can see Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534) and Queen Wenzhao majestically lead a group of maidservants, as well as how the royal family burns incense and practices the ritual for their Buddhist faith.
The live performance is presented by staff at the historic site and has been acclaimed by critics who see it as a great way to put a national treasure on view.
"The show has displayed not just costumes, makeup and rituals but profound history that has stretched unbroken over 5,000 years," says Wang Xiaoge, a culture critic.
Wang says the performance is a model for modern and stylish presentation of heritage and allows the history to be better associated with real life.
Over the years Henan has been innovative in how it presents culture, allowing tradition to merge with modern living.
In February the five-minute-long dance Tang Dynasty Banquet on Henan TV stood out among galas nationwide for the Spring Festival period. It features 14 dancers from Zhengzhou Song and Dance Theater dressed in Tang Dynasty (618-907) costumes.
The dance was inspired by the glazed pottery figurines in Henan Museum, some of whose key collections were included in the performance through augmented reality technology, including an 8,000-year-old bone flute and a bronze wine vessel in the shape of an owl dating back more than 3,000 years.
The dance attracted more than 2 billion views online, and related posts received 500 million clicks on the social networking service Sina Weibo.
In Xiuwu county, Liang Rong, a resident, said he was amazed by the art performances and people in ancient-looking clothes at the first Han costume festival held in the county a year ago.
Han costumes of various styles were presented at the festival, which has been held three times and drawn 300,000 young people to the county.
"These costumes are cool and surprisingly conformable to wear," Liang says.
After trying a few items of clothing on, she says she could not keep her hands off them. She bought three costumes at the festival and decided to open up a Han costume shop herself.
"I noticed many young people in Han attire have begun to show up at local scenic spots since the festival," she says.
She rents and sells Han attire and offers a makeup service for photo shoots.
"Many people come here during holidays," she says.
Over the Labor Day holiday from May 1 to 5 she had takings of 20,000 yuan, she says. "It's a surprise to see such a traditional culture reflected so well in real life."
After being peppered with questions by customers, Liang has made a point of studying Han costume culture. "While learning, I have been intrigued by the profound cultural heritage," she says.
"Henan culture is extensive and profound," Xinhua News Agency quoted Shi Jiazhen, head of the Longmen Grottoes Research Institute, as saying.
"In the vast history of thousands of years, cultural relics are the witness of civilization. However, the extension of cultural relics is very limited, and it's necessary to strive for top expression to maintain our superb culture."
Shi called for continued exchange and dialogue with young people as a way of respecting and promoting history.