Charming Xiangxi is a famous theater of Zhangjiajie. It performance of Charming Xiangxi is one of the three grand folk shows in China. The other two are Yunnan Impression in Yunnan Province and Liusanjie Impression in Guilin. Charming Xiangxi Theater was built in 2001. It reposes on the world famous Wulingyuan Scenic Resort in Zhangjiajie. Shows of Charming Xiangxi Theater are of primitive simplicity and full of Zhangjiajie local folk flavor.
Charming Xiangxi is the folk singing and dancing performance at night in Wulingyuan Scenic Area. It displays at the Charming Xiangxi (refers to Zhangjiajie)Theatre at night everyday. Charming Xiangxi Theatre, which is founded in 2001, is the oldest theatre in Wulingyuan Scenic Area, Zhangjiajie. After many years' development, it has become a famous tourist and cultural performance entity. Enjoy an evening performance involving folk artists from the mountain villages with spectacles of traditional folk art, sound and light.The show comprises of different acts, starting from the eerie Xiangxi Corpse Driving, the Drum Dance of Miao, the Wedding Lament of Tujia Kujia and the romantic Chasing Love.
Features of Charming Xiangxi Show
Charming Xiangxi Grand Theatre, which can take in 2800 population, is situate in Wulingyuan. It is simple but elegant, matching with Wulingyuan natural scenery.This show contains strong distinctive ethnic feature and has enjoyed a high reputation in Hong Kong, China mainland, Taiwan and other Chinese region, as well as South Korea, Japan, Southeast Asia and other places.
In last years, "Zhangjiajie Charming Xiangxi show" succeeded in inviting a large number of folk artists from the mountain villages and exhibited the "San Min" culture to the audiences which has been hidden deeply in the mountains and on the verge of extinction. Charming Xiangxi worked with Guang and Fenghuang Theatre, Hanan Folk Dance Troupe and Hunan Song and Dance Theatre to sublimate the folk music based on the retaining of the original ecological folk culture of Great Xiangxi. It integrates the traditional folk art, craft with modern sound, light and electricity technology perfectly and ultimately creates "Fire & Drum", "Eternal Border Town Cui" and "Chasing Love in Xiangsi Building" etc.
Main list of Charming Xiangxi show
At the show of ‘Charming Xiangxi', the actors all come from the local Tujia and Miao families, and their fair-sounding singing and multicolored folk finery are the highlights of the party. Performances of Xiangxi Magic and Xiangxi Ganshi (chucking corpse) add to the mysterious and thrilling luster of the show. The performance lasts for three hours, and it provides a window into the soul of the culture of Zhangjiajie.
The drum dance of Miao
The drum dance of Chinese Miao is the most unique art of dance in China’s Miao regions. It is quite popular in the Xiangxi Tujia and Miao autonomous prefecture in Hunan province. The drum dance of Miao honors a long history. It is said to create in the ritual activities of Miao before Chinese Han dynasty. With time flies, this kind of dance has become a favorite one for people.
Wedding lament (Tujia Kujia)
Tujia Kujia means the Tu minority cry for the girl that is going to get married on that day. The bride herself will cry too. Of course it does not mean the sad mood of people, and it is just the custom of the marriage.
Chasing love
While “chasing love” is performed, a collection of interaction conversations are added, such as “ couples talking about chasing love”, “love for a lifetime”. And since the show “chasing love” is performed by Zhangjiajie “Charming Xiangxi Art Troupe”, at CCTV Spring Festival Party, it has become a hot topic to discuss for many lovers. An incomplete statistics show that since February 10, Charming Xiangxi Great Theater has attracted nearly a thousand audiences per day, among which couples and lovers account for over 30%.
Xiangxi corpse driving
We now imagine the horrible scene----there is a barren rugged path on the mountain surrounded by trees. It is dark and a cold crescent hung in the sky. At this time, a crisp sound of bell comes from the silent forest. On such deserted path at such deep night, a team of people suddenly appear to make the wild animals in the forest silent. The bells get closer and you can hear faintly the sound of footsteps. The sound of footsteps is quiet strange. It sounds like someone is jumping. Finally, we can see horribly that a man wearing a dark blue robe walks in front of a group of people. He shakes the bell while walking. The people behind him wear high hat and large black robes. You can not see their face because they stuck yellow sheet of paper with strange marks on their foreheads. These are the driven corpses. They stretch their upper body and behave stiffly. They jump quite neatly and hard. And there is only the horrible and harsh sound around. Well this is the scene of corpse driving.
This show is to satisfy the curiosity of audiences and allow them to feel the unique geographical human culture of Xiangxi. Due to the horrible music and ghastly scene, the audiences should look after the elder, the children and women around.
Travel Tips
Venue: Charming Xiangxi Grand Theatre
Adress: No. 20 Guihua Road, Wulingyuan District, Zhangjiajie City
Duration: about 2 hours (19:30-21:30)
