As a group of dancers wearing turquoise costumes and towering hair buns move to a traditional Chinese melody, they appear as if they have just stepped out of an ancient landscape scroll painting.

“The Journey of a Legendary Landscape Painting” (《只此青绿》), a dance drama presented by Beijing-based China Oriental Performing Arts Group, will return to Shenzhen next month, performing seven shows at the Shenzhen Poly Theater.

The drama unfolds through the narration of a modern museum researcher. File photos

The story is closely tied to "A Panorama of Rivers and Mountains," a masterpiece of traditional Chinese landscape painting housed in the Palace Museum in Beijing. The masterpiece, characterized by its use of blue and green pigments, has a history of nearly 1,000 years and is attributed to the 18-year-old prodigy Wang Ximeng of the Song Dynasty (960-1279).

The drama unfolds through the narration of a modern museum researcher. By immersing himself in the study of the painting, he steps into Wang’s inner world, accompanying the young painter during his most inspired moments. Through this experiential journey, the researcher explores the combination of chance and necessity that led to the painting’s birth, interpreting the emotional bonds between ancient cultural relics and people in modern times.

The dance drama has won the Wenhua Award, China’s top award for cultural and artistic projects.

Since its premiere at the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing in 2021, the dance drama has toured globally with nearly 800 performances. An excerpt performed at the 2022 Spring Festival Gala reached over 8 billion viewers, quickly sparking a nationwide craze for the show. It has also won the Wenhua Award, China’s top award for cultural and artistic projects.

The choreography blends classical, modern, and contemporary dance elements. The stage design favors elegant simplicity, while the costumes bloom with color.

The show lasts 120 minutes. Reserve tickets via the WeChat mini programs of “保利票务” and “晶番网络科技,” or ticketing platforms such as Damai and Maoyan.

A scene from the show.

Tickets: 180-880 yuan

Time: April 22-26

Venue: Shenzhen Poly Theater