Full coverage: G20 Hangzhou Summit

The Impression West Lake show is one of the most famous evening attractions in Hangzhou. For tourists, it is a must-see. Now celebrated Chinese film director Zhang Yimou is ready to entertain the G20 guests with his evolutionary version of the show.

Zhang and his team are ready to amaze the world again with the G20 summit evening gala. Their innovative version of the Impression West Lake show is set to dazzle the audience. Many traditional Chinese elements have been added. But this is not all about China. Zhang said it is more important for ordinary people to understand it, rather than self-admiration.

“You could call this a live-action performance meets a symphony concert - on the water. For an event like the G20 summit, I think it is best to use well-known Chinese and foreign classical music,” Zhang said.

“Such music is all about love, unity, power, beauty and nature. And it generates a resonance, a common emotional tie that bonds us all no matter where you are from.”

For the visuals, this year’s G20 evening gala gets even better.

“With the fabulous and poetic visual effects cast on West Lake, we are able to showcase the unique meaning of water, which is the source of life. We have used new technologies such as interactive holograms to present it,” Zhang said.  

“But it is very difficult to achieve this on the water because we’ve never done this outdoors. We’ve been working on the show for more than a year. After all, it is our duty as artists to tell a good story about China to the world.”