Landscape show to interpret Dujiangyan

It's not only the water releasing ceremony that has drawn thousands of tourists to Dujiangyan this year. There is a landscape drama debuting as well. "Interpret Dujiangyan" aims to reenact the history and folk culture of the region with an audio/visual spectacular. 

"Interpret Dujiangyan" debuted on Monday night, at the outdoor theater near the irrigation system where the water releasing ceremony was held.

"Interpret Dujiangyan" debuted on Monday night, at the outdoor theater near  the irrigation system where the water releasing ceremony was held.

The one-and-a-half-hour production leads the audience roaming through the region's history. It is an ode to the more than 2,000-year-old irrigation system that has harnessed the floods since antiquity. It also depicts the prosperous scene of how local people have benefited by the project.

"Interpret Dujiangyan" aims at being a new drawing card of Dujiangyan, to attract tourists two years after the earthquake hit the region. It will also boost the local people's pride about their hometown.

Lu Hongbin, director of Dujiangyan Tourism Bureau, said, "The earthquake was traumatic for the local people. It was a loss of their land and hearts. Local people need some spiritual home to rebuild their confidence. This production serves that purpose."

Mei Shuaiyuan, the producer of landscape drama "Impression: Sister Liu" is the planner, producer, and scriptwriter of the production. He was impressed by the greatness of the irrigation system when he started making the stage extravaganza.

Mei Shuaiyuan, producer of "Interpret Dujiangyan", said, "This stage production got underway four years ago. The earthquake didn't stop our steps and even strengthened our will to make it complete. Dujiangyan is great for it was built by simply channeling water into two directions. It coincides with the ancient wisdom, which follows nature, and doesn't distort it."

The five-hundred performers are all non-professional, and were chosen from among the local people. The production will be a regular nightly event in Dujiangyan, in the outdoor theater, five-hundred meters above the fish mouth shaped levee, the main body of the irrigation system.

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