Impression Lijiang Show, Lijiang Attractions, Yunnan Travel Guide

Impression Lijiang is a cultural show which demonstrates the traditions and lifestyle of local Naxi, Yi and Bai ethnics of the area. It is the second outdoor production (after Impression Liu Sanjie in Yangshuo, Guilin) of famous Chinese film director Zhang Yimou, who co-directed the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008. The open-air performance takes place inside Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Park at 3500 meters in an outdoor theater specifically designed to showcase the mountain which is used as a breath-taking backdrop.

As an outdoor performance in full daylight, Impression Lijiang which Zhang Yimou has spent two years for the preparation was innovatively staged in the morning. The show is divided into two parts, "Snow Mountain Impression" and "Ancient City Impression", the production, which has cost 31 million U.S. dollars to make, is staged at the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Dayan Ancient Town, two famous scenic spots in Lijiang, a scenic city in southwestern China. Aiming to provide an insight into the lives of the region's ethnic groups, all the songs and dances that includes within the show are largely portray the daily life of the local people. Around 500 local people from 10 ethnic groups have been selected from 16 towns and villages in Lijiang of Yunnan Province to perform daily folk songs, dances and rituals for tourists, which include folk songs, dances as well as rituals for tourists. As a successful culture result, "Impression Lijiang" is considered to be a good representation of National Cultural Industry.

Impression Lijiang Show Facts

Chinese Name: 印象丽江

Type: Open-air large scale live show with ethnic singing and dancing

Location: Blue Moon Valley theater, Ganhaizi, Lijiang City (Yulong Snow Mountain Scenic Area), Yunnan Province, China. 云南丽江玉龙雪山甘海子蓝月谷剧场

Opening hours: Summer Schedule (May 1st- Oct 31st) 9:00, 11:00, 14:00; Winter Schedule (Nov 1st – Apr 30th) 11:00, 14:00

Length of the show: 1 hour.

How far from Lijiang Ancient Town: 15 km.

Entry Ticket price: from RMB190.

Several scenes of the Impression Lijiang Show

In the series of live performances in "Impression Lijiang", there are no so-called themes and specific stories, but to express the three directors' individual experience of Lijiang. The first part of "Snow Mountain" is a dialogue with mountains, showing people Come to Lijiang from all directions to experience the close relationship between life and nature; the second part is to have a dialogue with life through people climbing the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and visiting the ancient city of Lijiang; the third part "Ancient City" will be a dialogue with ancestors, in which we found that there has always been a sacred kingdom deep in people’s hearts throughout the ages.

1. Horse Caravan

The Ancient Tea-Horse Road was built on mountain edge giving people a feel of roads in the sky. Because of the horse caravan, the ancient city of Lijiang has become an important town on the Ancient Tea-Horse Road in Western Yunnan. The horse caravan affects the lives of the Naxi people, and the Naxi men are proud of being able to participate in the caravan and be a horse team leader. The saddle dance shows the heroic color of a caravan man.

The custom of the Naxi people believes that men should not be tired of housework; women should do housework, work in the fields, and take care of children and elders. In the past, Naxi woman were proud of being able to endure hardships. They were even ashamed to let men help in doing housework. In Naxi woman’s point of view, her husband’s knowledge, social ability, and accomplishment are the glory of his wife and children. The basket dance extols Naxi women's hard work and dedication.

Horses in Yunnan are short leg horses. This kind of horses does not run very fast, but they are very good at handling mountain trails. Only this kind of horse can carry heavy cargo and walk on narrow and steep mountain roads. Therefore, the Naxi people highly respect horses, and horses are one of their worship objects. In the show, the horse caravan runs on the red roof, as if it was a reappearance of "the horse caravan is walking in the mountain with bell ringing” on the Ancient Tea Horse Road six hundred years ago.

2. Toast to the Snow Mountain

Ethnic minorities are born to drink, just as they are born to sing and dance. Local drinkers’ wager game is also full of songs, and fun. They drink alcohol when you are happy, as well as when they are upset.

The scene “Drink to the Snow Mountain” showing drinkers’ interesting wager game with Naxi allegro, is to express local ethnic minorities’ love to life, hospitality to friends. The people living on the foot of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain have a special optimism towards life and a tenacious character.

3. Lover’s perfect World

There’s a "Third Kingdom of Jade Dragon" in the myths and legends of the Naxi people. According to legends, citizens of the Third Kingdom of Jade Dragon have no trouble at all and enjoy the best of the world. Many young lovers have attracted by the wonderful “Third Kingdom of Jade Dragon". When their love is hindered by the old marriage policy or parents, they will come to the Spruce Meadow and die for love. They believe that dying at Spruce Meadow will lead them to the "Third Jade Dragon Country", where they can stay forever with their lover without any annoyance.

4. Local dancing – ‘Datiao’

Dancing is a popular entertainment activity for the minority nationalities in Lijiang. The most popular dance is ‘Datiao’, where People form a circle and dance with hands in a joyful way. This original singing and dancing is to welcome the guests from afar, showing their unique enthusiasm and unrestrained spirit.

5. Sacrifice to heaven with drum dance

The Naxi people are the sons of Heaven, and the Naxi people are the brothers of nature.The worship of heaven and the affinity to nature have been admired by the Naxi people since ancient times. This is a minority nation with a population of less than 300,000. In their Dongba scriptures we can find the words like "I am the descendant of the Jiutian(heaven) ancestors, I am the descendant of the Qidi(earth) ancestors, I am the descendants of those powerful man who have crossed the ninety-nine mountains without tiredness, who do not drink too much after the river is finished up, who can cut three leg bones without a damage to their teeth, who have survived from hundreds of battles..."

Through the drums beating and the vigorous murmuring, we seem to have felt the vitality and long living of Naxi nation.

6. Blessing ceremony

This is a magical place where your wishes may come true.

Please cross your hands on your forehead, and make the wish in your heart.

Standing in front of this magical Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, the actors sincerely pray for you who come from all directions, pray that heaven will fulfill your wish. May you be happy and blessed.