During this year’s Henan Spring Festival Gala, “Tang Palace Banquet（táng gōng yè yàn 唐宫夜宴）” astounded countless audience members. After the Dragon Boat Festival party, Henan TV’s “Luo Shen Shui Fu（luò shén shuǐ fù 洛神水赋）” also went viral. However, what truly no one saw coming was that Henan TV’s Chinese Valentine’s Day party “Diamond of Dragon Gate（lóng mén jīn gāng 龙门金刚）” once again attracted the eyes of the world! Today, we’re taking a look at these three stunning Chinese dances that have gone viral（chū quān 出圈）.
出圈 (chū quān): v. to become widely known; to go viral
tā tōng guò zhè ge mó xìng de shì pín chū quān le.
他 通 过 这 个 魔 性 的 视 频 出 圈 了。
He went viral because of this quirky video.
zhè ge shì jiàn chū quān le ，xiàn zài yǐn fā quán mín tǎo lùn.
这 个 事 件 出 圈 了， 现 在 引 发 全 民 讨 论。
This incident triggered a national discussion.
1. Tang Palace Banquet（táng gōng yè yàn 唐宫夜宴）
“Tang Palace Banquet” follows several Tang dynasty girls, beginning from when they’re preparing to leave and continuing through their journey and performance. The subtlety of this dance “lives” the figures of the Tang Dynasty. The performers blend with the scene through facial expressions and relatable amusement, recreating the magnificent beauty of the Tang Dynasty. In the background are the seven national treasures, such as “Lady Hao’s Good Owl（fù hǎo xiāo zūn 妇好鸮尊）”, “Lotus and Crane Square Pot（lián hè fāng hú 莲鹤方壶）”, “Jiahu Bone Flute（jiǎ hú gǔ dí 贾 湖骨笛）”, “Court Ladies Preparing Newly Woven Silk（dǎo liàn tú 捣练图）”, “Court Ladies Adorning Their Hair with Flowers（zān huā shì nǚ tú 簪花仕女图）”, “Preparing for a Riding Trip（bèi qí chū háng tú 备骑出行图）”, and “A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains（qiān lǐ jiāng shān tú 千里江山图）”.
In addition, the color design of the costumes is clearly symbolic of the Tang Dynasty. Among Tang Dynasty symbols, the most famous is Tang Sancai (táng sān cǎi 唐三彩). Tang Sancai, as a kind of pottery, is often based around the three colors of yellow, green and white (huáng, lǜ, bái 黄，绿，白), hence the name “Tang Sancai” (three colors of the Tang). Observing the costumes of the young ladies of the Tang Dynasty carefully, it is not difficult to find that the colors of their costumes are mainly red, green, and yellow, obviously connected to the design elements of Tang Sancai.
（táng sān cǎi): n. Tang Sancai
(huáng, lǜ, bái ): n. yellow, green and white
The virtual scenes created by these transgenerational national treasures were perfectly combined with realistic staging, and the singing and dancing were added to the historical scene. Between the agility of the girls depicted in pictures, and splashes of ink that reflect the landscape, mixed with the imagery of the palace, make for amazing visuals.
2. Luoshen Shui Fu（luò shén shuǐ fù 洛神水赋）
The dancers, incarnations of “Luo Shen” (the goddess of the Luo River), appear beautifully dancing on stage as they display their sleeves, turning their skirts, displaying the vigor, power, and grace of water. In the end, “Luo Shen” leaves with clothes a-flutter, an immortal posture, and an overall splendid appearance, reminiscent of Chang’e.
While Luoshen (luò shén 洛神) is the goddess of the Luo River, according to Chinese pre-Qin mythology. In the Middle Ages, and came to be regarded as the incarnation of godly beauty, Chang’e (cháng é 嫦娥), was a fairy in ancient Chinese mythology. The myth of “Chang’e Flies to the Moon” originated from the ancient people’s worship of stars.
(luò shén): n. Luoshen
(cháng é): n. Chang’e
As for the technical aspects of the dance, it is rumored that the dancers only needed to take a breath once every 50 seconds, in order to not interrupt their beautiful, smoothly dance on the water. The entire dance took 26 hours of dedicated shooting.
3. Diamond of Dragon Gate（lóng mén jīn gāng 龙门金刚）
“Diamond of Dragon Gate” was a dance show with the theme of flying into the sky in the Longmen Grottoes. Amidst the sounds of birds, the sunlight illuminates the ancient Longmen Grottoes. Between the fluttering dresses, flying down from the sky, there are countless avatars of immortals, including the delicate and majestic Dragon Gate Warrior – this was a veritable visual feast enjoyed by all who watched.
Fei Tian (fēi tiān 飞天) is the attendant of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and is also the name of a ritual for making offerings to the divine. It is also known as the song and dance troupe of the Heavenly Palace of the Buddha Kingdom, and can often be seen on the left and right sides of Buddhas, niches, or the top of grottoes.
Among the many images of the Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang, the Jin Gang (jīn gāng 金刚) is unique among the treasures of the Longmen Grottoes. The Longmen Warrior has violent eyes, glaring straight ahead, and with clenched his fists. The whole statue is unquestionable rugged and powerful. It is the unity of strength and beauty, and a symbol of tenacious spirit.
(fēi tiān): n. Fei Tian
(jīn gāng): n. Jin Gang
Against the current backdrop, “Dragon Gate Jin Gang” also has its own positive significance: Jin Gang angrily expels the epidemic, and the spirits fly to the sky to pray for blessings!
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