Dancing through Li Qingzhao's world
A new production portrays the celebrated poet's passion, sorrow and nostalgia through movement, music and emotion, Chen Nan reports.
By Chen Nan | China Daily | Updated: 2026-06-06 10:46
The curtain rises on a sea of light. Golden lanterns glow overhead, while ribbons of blue and green silk drift across the stage. The audience is transported to the bustling night market in Bianjing, today's Kaifeng in Henan province, which was the capital of the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127).
The atmosphere is joyous and alive. Merchants call out their wares, festivalgoers wander beneath the lanterns, and a young woman moves through the crowd.
She is Li Qingzhao (1084-1155), one of the most celebrated poets in Chinese history. Her poetry is famous for its emotional depth, vivid imagery, and reflections on love, memory, loss, and displacement.
In 2024, the Shanghai Dance Theatre premiered its original dance drama Li Qingzhao, giving audiences an early glimpse of its innovative interpretation of the life and work of the poet.
The production is scheduled to take the stage for the first time in Beijing at the National Centre for the Performing Arts from July 17 to 19.
In a space where dance, music, and Eastern aesthetics intertwine, audiences in the capital will be invited to reexperience the spiritual world of this female poet.
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