TV show combines tradition with youth

For instance, in the show's second episode, Shang, pop idol Zhang Yanqi, singer-dancer Li Sidanni and Liu Shuaiyi, a young performer of Yuju Opera, which originated in Henan province, join the team of Xiaoxiangyu.

Together they stage a Yuju Opera piece that tells the story of legendary heroine Hua Mulan. Apart from using cutting-edge technology to create impressive audiovisual effects on stage, the team also includes the musical style of rap in their work.

Zhang, 24, enthusiastically raps the praises of heroines in history and in today's China, adding more sparkle to their performance.

Yin Xiaodong, head of the National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts, praised the performances in the show, saying that as time goes by, traditional Chinese opera performers have been boldly integrating innovative elements into their artistic creation that can meet the requirement of young generations for better audiovisual effects and better connect the public to the ancient opera art form.