Qixi Wonders Fell on the Meteor-Showered Xiqi Festival Eve
On August 13, 2021 (the 6th day of the 7th lunar month), “Qixi Wonders”(Qixi Qimiaoyou) conducted by Henan TV fell on the night before “Qixi Festival”, or Chinese Valentine’s Day. It was also the moment when the Perseid meteor shower released its most brilliant luster. As a special occasion met with both “Qixi Festival” and the meteor shower, the “Traditional Chinese Festival”Program of Henan TV mixed love- and dream-themed elements about “Qixi”, “flying Apsaras”(Feitian) and “meteor showers”in shows like “Qixi Wonders”.
The dance named “Guardian Warriors of Longmen”(Longmen Jingang), the first performance of “Qixi Wonders”, aims to present audiences with images of Longmen Yueji (music performers of Longmen) and flying Apsaras while stressing the artistic image of the guardian warriors of Longmen. The most impressive part was the presentation of the computer-aided colored replica of Fengxian Temple, based on the research of Longmen Grottoes, at the climax of the performance, which endowed the cultural relics with new connotation and mood.
The song named “To Girls” integrated folk customs during Qixi Festivals of hair washing, make-up, manicure, needle casting, the Weaver Girl Worshiping and cleverness praying.
The traditional Chinese opera named “Love”told a classic Chinese love story in the artistic form with most Chinese features. Classic episodes of Kunqu Opera named “Peony Pavilion·Travelling in the Garden”, Yue Opera named “Liangzhu·Farewell of 18 Li” and Yu Opera named “Madame White Snake·First Meeting at Broken Bridge”， integrated with expressive performances of “Painting Hanging”and water sleeve dance, artistic elements from Chinese painting “Auspicious Crane”, and intangible cultural heritages like butterfly kites, Suzhou embroidery, Chinese fans and oiled paper umbrella, to create an innovative traditional Chinese opera with modern musical elements.
Instrumental music “Pozhenyue” introduced exotic atmosphere with “animal props” like wolves and lizards. Patriotism abounded in the smooth yet rhythmic performance of shakuhachi, pipa, erhu, sanxian, Chinese drum and Chinese flute.
With broad time, space and scenes, the themed song “Applaud Yourself” showed the persisting exploration of the universe, and the pursuing of dreams of both ancient and modern Chinese people.
The song named “The Brightest Star in the Night Sky”, the last performance of the evening gala, displayed scenes of the falling Perseid meteor shower, China’s deserts, grasslands, the country’s most remote corners, Songshan Mountain, and happy scenes of people looking at the meteor shower, praying for love, remembering their families and looking forward to a bright future.
It’s said that Henan Broadcasting System (HBS) will follow the principle of “cultural inheritance”, center on the “Family and China Complex”, to extend the value of its programs, produce an even more creative, modern and high-quality cultural feast, and explore the new possibilities of “traditional festival economy”. Meanwhile, HBS will continue to strengthen efforts on programs of domestic brands, original culture variety shows, and cultural IP industry, to build the Chinese festival series shows of Henan TV into the brightest industrial symbol of the internet.
