Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show

» Xi'an, Shaan Xi

Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show Overview & Map Weather Transportation Information

Xi'an (called Chang'an in ancient times), is a city where 13 dynasties established capitals in the long Chinese history. Among them, the Tang Dynasty (618 A.D. - 907 A.D.) that enjoyed fame throughout the history reveals prosperity and brilliance of Chinese civilization. "Tang Dynasty Music and Dance" is one of the symbols of its culture when the dynasty was at the pinnacle of power and splendor.

Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show assembles the best of songs and dances in the past generations, and drew essences from many ethnic groups in Western Regions and foreign cultures, which fully reflected the national conditions and customs of Tang Dynasty at the height of its power. It is the perfect portraiture of the prosperity and peace of the booming Tang Dynasty.

The two categories of Tang Dance

Dances in the Tang Dynasty fell into the two categories of martial and civil, and were also known as "gentle" and "vigorous" dances. As their names suggest, the "civil dance" was soft and graceful, while the "martial dance" was vigorous and bold.

Martial dance

"Prince Qin's Cavalry"

"Prince Qin's Cavalry" with a spectacular music and dance performance was choreographed and directed by Li Shimin, Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty.

• The aim**
  The aim of the dance was to remind Tang Dynasty soldiers and civilians always to be on the alert and prepared for war. "Prince Qin's Cavalry" is a martial dance that celebrates the power and grandeur of the imperial army. Its performance called for 120 dancers, a choir of 100, and 100 musicians.
• Dance formation
  The dance formation is circular to the left and square to the right, with war chariots to the fore, and foot soldiers bringing up the rear. The dance music was Tang court composer Lu Cai's adaptation of various folk melodies. Its music leads the dance formation through 12 variations, which the audience would watch, awestruck, beating time on the floor with their scabbards.

Sword dance

Another aspect of the martial dance is the "sword dance," devised by master swordsmen. Ancients sought to combine the ethos of swordsmanship with the sword dance, calling it "sword vigor."

Civil dance

On his succession to the throne, Li Shimin discussed strategies for national administration with his ministers. He believed that although he had gained political power by force, he should govern the country by civil virtue. He adopted in both martial and civil approaches according to different times and circumstances. In the emperor's view, in times of peace the emphasis of state governance should be on economic construction and education of the populace.

Qingshan dance

In 633, the 6th year of the Zhenguan reign and a time of Tang prosperity, Li Shimin went back to his birthplace, Qingshan Palace in Wugong County. He treated his ministers to a grand banquet, and wrote poetry in celebration of prevailing peace and plenty. He also commissioned musicians and choreographers to create the spectacular "Qingshan Dance." This was one of the representative civil dances of the early Tang Dynasty, and reflects Emperor Taizong's theory of governing the country by civil virtue.

The development of civil dance

In the following decades, this civil dance advocated by Emperor Taizong gained popularity and reached its zenith in the early 8th century, during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong. Both Emperor Xuanzong and his concubine Yang Yuhuan had a deep love of music and dance. The Rainbow Skirt and Feathered Coat was a romantic, enchanting dance personally choreographed by Li Longji for Yang Yuhuan. He combined emotional mortal love with the magical beauty of the fairy world, rendering a perfect blend of reality and fantasy.

Tang music

The musical instruments played in accompaniment encompassed those of the Central Plains area and of the Western Regions. The music itself is in three main parts and comprises 36 segments.

• The first part consists of instrument solos, or qing, xiao, zheng and flute ensembles.
  
• In the second part, slow-tempo, lyric melodies are sung and danced to.
  
• The third part comprises both slow and up-tempo dances.
  

It was originally intended for just one or two dancers, but gradually evolved into the formation dance performed by hundreds of palace girls.

Hu music and dance

There existed outside the imperial city a still broader world of song and dance. Tang Dynasty exotic songs and dances were popular among the common people, from Chang'an, the capital, to border areas, and from cities to the countryside.

Development of Hu music and dance

Large numbers of Hu people migrated to the Tang Empire along the old Silk Road, and wine shops run by the Hu people were commonplace in Chang'an. They served Western Region cuisine and wine made from grapes, and staged Hu song and dance performances. Most popular was the Hu whirling dance. These wine shops thus enriched the life of the local people, and contributed to the development and popularity of the music, song and dance of the Tang Dynasty.

Great influence on Tang music and dance

Traditional Chinese dances are lyrical, in a slow tempo, and solemn in contrast to the wild, tempestuous Hu dances. After spreading to the Central Plains area, they became widely popular. Songs and dances from the Western Regions gradually blended in with local life until they came to form an aspect of traditional Chinese performing arts. Among the ten official early Tang Dynasty dances, eight were introduced from the outside, and of these, one was from Korea, and seven were from the Western Regions.

Tang dynasty - the zenith of performance art in ancient China

The Tang Dynasty was a time when all people, from the emperor to the lowest commoner, regarded being bestowed with an aptitude for singing and dancing as a great honor. This was the zenith of performance art in ancient China, when there were more than 100 large-scale dances.

Attractions around » Xi'an, Shaan Xi

Natural Scene

• Huaqing Pool
• Mt. Huashan

Historical Site

• Xi'an City Wall
• Big Wild Goose Pagoda
• Great Mosque
• Drum Tower
• Bell Tower
• Tomb of Qin Shihuang
• Small Wild Goose Pagoda
• Ba Xian An Temple

Cultural Site

• Terracotta Warriors and Horses
• Shaanxi Provincial History Museum
• Xi'an Banpo Museum
• Forest of Stone Steles Museum

Nightlife

• Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show

Day Entertainment & Sports

• Tang Paradise
• Golf in Xi'an

Shopping & Leisure

• Moslem Street
• Shuyuanmen Street
• Xi'an Antique Market
• Wenbaozhai Tourist Shopping Center
• Century Ginwa Shopping Mall

Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show Highlights

Performance in Great China

• Impression Lijiang
• Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show
• Charming Xiangxi

Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show FAQ & Travelers's Tips

  Weather

1. Is the weather fine all year round in Xi'an?
2. What is the best season to visit Xi'an?

  Food

1. What can we have for dinner in Xi'an?
2. What is Xi'an local delicacy?

  Shopping

1. Can I use my credit card when visiting the attractions in Xi'an?
2. Where can I buy chinese medicine?
3. Where can I find the department stores and supermarkets?
4. What souvenirs can we buy in Xi'an?

  Travel

1. What taboos do we need to pay attention to in Xi'an?
2. What should we prepare for our visit to Mt.Huashan?
3. Where can I meet muslim friends in Xi'an?
4. What about the toilet facilities in Xi'an?

  Customs

1. Where can I see Shadow Puppets in Xi'an?
2. Why does Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show become so popular here?
3. How about the dress for Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show?

  Other Hints

1. What is Xi'an time?
2. What to pack for Xi'an tours?
3. Where is the post office in Xi'an?
4. Is the internet bar available in Xi'an?
5. What about other useful numbers in Xi'an?
6. What is emergency number in Xi'an?

• Is the weather fine all year round in Xi'an?

  Xi'an is in a warm temperate zone, and has a continental monsoon climate with four distinct seasons; Xi'an is hot and wet in summer, dry and seldom snowy in winter and is prone to extended spells of rain in spring and autumn.

  The temperature during spring (March to May) increases rapidly, but is prone to fluctuation. The average temperature in March is 7.9 centigrade, rising to 14.1 centigrade in April and 19.4 centigrade in May.

  Summer in Xi'an (June to August) becomes both hot and humid, with the highest average temperature being 32 centigrade and the maximum temperature of ten above 40 centigrade.

  Xi'an also experiences a fair amount of precipitation during autumn, (September to November). The early autumn period is cool and can be overcast, late autumn is usually fine.

  Winter (December to February) is dry and cold with a little snow. The coldest month is January, with an average temperature of 0 Centigrade.

- Top -



• What is the best season to visit Xi'an?

  Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) are the best seasons during the year for Xi'an tour. With the pleasant temperature, gentle breezes and warm sunshine, spring is a good time of year for outdoor activities and traveling. Late autume is also worth to visit here.

- Top -



• What can we have for dinner in Xi'an?

  As the capital of table delicacies, Xi'an is famous for the delicious Shaanxi snacks, the delicate Guangdong cuisine, in a sweet and mild flavor. Various kinds of fashionable foreign delicacies, and the popular Sichuan cuisine, such as hot pot, in a spicy flavor.

- Top -



• What is Xi'an local delicacy?

  When you are travelling in Xi'an, one delicacy you will surely to find on the menu is the dumpling.

  Xi'an, an ancient city that has been the nation's capital during no less than eleven dynasties spanning more than a thousand years is regarded as the home if not the birthplace of the great dumpling tradition.

  It was here that the art of creating the most tasty and delicate of dumplings was refined and no visit to the city is complete unless you partake of a dumpling dinner.

- Top -



• Can I use my credit card when visiting the attractions in Xi'an?

  No, most attractions are not allowed to pay credit card, for your convinence, it is much better to bring some cash money along the trip. most 4 star hotels or 5 star hotels provide a good service to exchange into RMB at front desk.

- Top -



• Where can I buy chinese medicine?

  You can also find the traditional chineses medicine market in Xi'an, which embody the local culture of chinese medical treatment.

  In Chinese medicine, the links between body, mind and spirit have always been recognized and indeed lie at the heart of the system. There is a saying like western medicine cure the external causes but Chinese Medicine cures the internal causes.

- Top -



• Where can I find the department stores and supermarkets?

  Department stores
  

  Minsheng Department Store, at No. 103, Jiefang Lu
  Parkson Shopping Center is popular in Xian and now there are three Parkson:
  

  1. Xi'an Luck Parkson: 119, Dong Dajie (Opposite the Hyatt Regency Hotel)
  2. Xi'an Shidai Parkson: Shidai Shengdian Plaza, Xi Dajie
  3. Xi'an Chang'an Parkson: 38, Chang'an Zhong Lu

  Supermarkets

  1. South Gate Branch (Downtown) is situated in Fen Xiang, Nan Dajie.
     Bus: No. 600, 603
  2. Chang'an Lu Branch (South Suburb) is located at the northeast corner of the crossing of Shida Lu and Chang'an Lu.
     Bus: No.19, 44, 101, 215, 239, 408, 600, 603
  3. Jin Hua Lu Branch (East Suburb) is situated near the crossing of Changle Lu and Jinhua Lu.
     Bus: No. 4, 10, 11, 13, 27, 43, 105, 209, 303, 402, 604, 605
  4. Lian Hu Branch (West Suburb) is located at the southwest of the crossing of Daqing Lu and Taoyuan Lu.
     Bus: No.2, 12, 45, 103, 104, 207, 210, 222, 223, 224, 301, 303, 605, 803
  5. North Suburb Branch is located along the Bei Erhuan Lu (Northern 2nd Ring Road).
     Bus: No. 18, 17, 238, 228, 236, 609, 600
  6. Nan Erhuan Branch is situated along the Nan Erhuan Lu (Southern 2nd Ring Road).
     Bus: No.24, 46, 308, 311, 608

- Top -



• What souvenirs can we buy in Xi'an?

  Xi'an is a great place to do some fantastic Chinese souvenir shopping, especially for cultural items.

  Some excellent offerings specific to Xi'an include: Chinese calligraphy rubbings, Tang pottery replicas, Terracotta Warrior replicas, Folk paintings, Folk paper cuttings and Green porcelain.

- Top -



• what taboos do we need to pay attention to in Xi'an?

  Xi'an is a multiethnic regin, of which the population of Islam is approximately one half, it is a taboo to eat pork and the flesh of animals which died of natrual course, in order not to trouble yourselves, you'd better not to eat anything made of pork and talk about pig in any muslim restaurant.

- Top -



• What should we prepare for our visit to Mt.Huashan?

  Famed as the most precipitous of the five moutains in China, Mt.Huashan is a hardship jouney for xi'an tour. You might prepare a long gown and a pair of jogging shoes in case of raining and dropping of.

- Top -



• Where can I meet muslim friends in Xi'an?

  Muslim quarter is a shopping center where many muslime friends gathered there. This area is paved with dark colored stone with green trees providing heavy shade during summer. There are many restaurants and stores on the street. The owners are all Moslems.

  Moslem Street has a long history. It is said that in olden days, foreign diplomatic envoys and merchants lived here then they married and had children, so gradually the population increased.

  Today, most of the inhabitants of Moslem Street are the descendants of those immigrants.

- Top -



• What about the toilet facilities in Xi'an?

  Most toilet facilities in emporiums, shopping centers, supermarkets, stations and scenic spots are free. The other will charge no more than 0.5 Yuan.

- Top -



• Where can I see Shadow Puppets in Xi'an?

  Shadow Puppets was shaped in an art form of famouse traditional folk custome.The Chinese shadow puppets have existed in China for over a thousand years.

  The Shadow Play is hold in an old house of the Qing Dynasty. The show is about 15 minutes long and performed in a very small room. you can go Gao'a family where near to Drum Tower to see the show, the performance costs about 40 yuan for each one.

- Top -



• Why does the Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show become so popular here?

  The Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show, a wonderful performance of the ancient music and dance, is a must when you visit Xian.

  The city, which was formerly known as Chang'an has a very long history, and was the imperial capital during 13 dynastic periods. Of these, the Tang Dynasty (618 - 907) was the most prosperous and glorious of all.

  The Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show is an outstanding exponent of this ancient stable and prosperous society, keeping alive its splendid culture and providing an insight into the peaceful life style of the period.

- Top -



• How about the dress for Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show?

  There is no special dress requirement for this show, but some travelers like to dress up.

  If you have time to change your clothes after the day's tour, we suggest that you dress as you would for any formal occasion, like the Opera in Beijing, and the welcome and farewell dinners during the Yangtze Cruise.

  Jackets and ties for gentlemen and a formal dress or gown for ladies are recommended.

- Top -



• What is Xi'an time?

  Equal to Beijing, Xi'an is eight hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (London) and 13 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time (New York), is the standard time used in China.

- Top -



• What to pack for Xi'an tours?

  Besides the medicines you usually take at home, you need to bring pain killers, anti-inflammatory prescriptions and medicines for colds, fever and diarrhea. These medicines are especially helpful if you are going to visit Xi'an.

- Top -



• Where is the post office in Xi'an?

  1. City Center: Bell Tower Post Office, Northeast corner of Bell Tower Square
  2. South Suburb: Xiao Zhai Branch, No.3 Xiao Zhai Xi Lu
  3. North Suburb: Bei Guan Branch, No.18 Bei Guan Zheng Jie
     

  Opening Hours 8:30-18:00

  - Top -
  
  

• Is the internet bar available in Xi'an?

  Yes, it is. tourists can easily find internet bars near colleges or universities, usually it costs you 1 - 2 Yuan per hour, but those with better facilities and faster connection speeds may cost more.

- Top -



• What about other useful numbers in Xi'an?

  Zip code Inquiry: 184
  Taxi Complain: 88624509
  Consumption Complain: 12315
  Telephone Number Inquiry: 114
  Public Buses Complain: 16801315
  China Mobile Customer Hotline: 10086
  China Unicom Customer Hotline: 10010
  China Telecom Customer Hotline: 10000
  

- Top -



• What is emergency number in Xi'an?

  Fire: 119
  Traffic: 122
  Ambulance: 120
  Police: 110

- Top -