The other two dance dramas are Li Bai, following the life of the legendary Tang Dynasty (618-907) poet Li Bai, and Confucius, which follows the great Chinese sage traveling to 14 states with his students to spread his ideas.
Confucius, also directed by Kong, said to be the 77th-generation direct descendant of Confucius, premiered in 2013 and has been staged over 300 times worldwide. Kong says that what Confucius values is derived from humanity and great love.
Premiered in 2017, Li Bai features director Han Baoquan and dancer Hu Yang performing the leading role. It depicts the poet's passion, talent and persistence.
According to Tang Ying, vice-president of the China National Opera &Dance Drama Theater, the three dance dramas have been streamed on social media platforms both at home and abroad beside live performances, generating a new wave of discussion on the beauty of Chinese culture among art lovers from all over the world.
"From the way of telling stories, choreography to the costumes, stage designs and music, we want to showcase the typical artistic aesthetic from ancient China, through which audiences can better understand Chinese culture," says Tang.
