Travels in China - Music and Dance in Xi'an

On the eve of their departure from Xi'an to travel to Beijing, China's capital, HWMBO and his group attended the Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show, which is considered to be a must-see for visitors to Xi'an.  It is a wonderful performance of ancient Chinese music and dance.

The spectacle has its roots in folk festivals when dances were performed to celebrate a bountiful harvest or for other occasions.  The Tang Dynasty was open to outside influences and thus incorporated what it considered the best of various art forms as well as those not only of other Chinese ethnic groups but of groups in Central and Western Asia generally.  Thus, there is a wide variety of lavish and colorful costumes,

dances (this one reminiscent of the thousand-armed manifestation of the goddess Guanyin),

and musical instruments.

For literally leaving Xi'an on a high note,

the performance was unparalleled.