The Show

Highlights

The signature show follows a young overseas Chinese girl on a roots-seeking journey — a magical ride through time unveiling the epic legacies of the Zhou, Qin, Han and Tang dynasties: the ancient light of Banpo, the romance of willows along the Ba River, the grandeur of Qin, the legends of the Silk Road, and the splendour of Tang Chang’an.

High-tech machinery runs across the entire theatre — three thousand tons of floodwater pour down and hundreds of cubic metres of sand sweep in — blending the virtual and the real to dissolve the boundary between stage and audience for a truly immersive journey through time.

The park

Xi’an Qian Gu Qing Park is an attraction that transcends time and imagination, jointly developed by Xi’an Expo Group and Songcheng Performance.

One scene after another — Ji’nian Avenue, Sky City, Lake-View Pavilion, Chang’an Gate, the Songcheng Pagoda and Gate, the Haunted House, the Blazing Volcano, and the Chang’an, Performance and Songcheng Squares — transports you straight into the flourishing Tang dynasty. Stroll along Guoyan and Yanyun Streets or the lakeside avenues, where Silver Beach, Jinxiu Lake and Chang’an Tower shine together in a truly beautiful panorama.

Dozens of live shows — the Embroidery Toss, the Time-Travel Flash Mob, Drunken Li Bai and more — run throughout the day. The live-action experience The Great Earthquake recreates the catastrophe with high technology, a moving tale of love amid ruin; the Illusion Space and light shows invite you to explore the unknown; and the large-scale interactive project Defence of Yan’an takes you into the “battlefield” to remember history and cherish peace. Fun for all ages, rain or shine — a must-visit destination blending performance, tourism and leisure.

Show information

Duration: approx. 60 minutes (subject to the venue). Venue: Qian Gu Qing Grand Theatre, Debao Gate, Expo Park, Shibo Avenue, Baqiao District, Xi’an.

Showtimes, act line-up and cast are subject to the venue’s announcement on the day. Please confirm with our agent before booking.

Who is it for

Great for couples, families, friends and tour groups — an easy and enjoyable way to understand Xi’an’s history.

Policies for children (height limits) and senior discounts follow the venue’s rules on the day; please confirm with our agent before ordering.

Chapters

Act 1The Light of Banpo

The towering Qinling Mountains stand at the heart of China — the root and wellspring of Chinese civilisation. More than 6,000 years ago, in the Neolithic era, the Banpo people learned to make pottery, fish and farm as they wrestled with nature, creating a brilliant culture of their own.

Act 2Charm of Zhou, Spirit of Qin

The Wei River flows on without pause. From this land of poetry and legend came the brilliance and romance of Zhou rites and verse, and the character and spirit of the great Qin.

Act 3Zhang Qian, Envoy of Han

In the Qin and Han eras, the nomadic Xiongnu of the north waged continual war, seeking to overrun the Central Plains. In 139 BC, to unite the Yuezhi and remove the Xiongnu threat for good, the Han envoy Zhang Qian set out for the Western Regions with a delegation of a hundred men, on the order of Emperor Wu.

Act 4The Glorious Tang

From Zhang Qian’s pioneering journey to the west to the monk Xuanzang’s quest for scriptures, the Silk Road — stretching from Chang’an in the east to Rome in the west — brought exchange and fusion between civilisations thousands of miles apart, and ushered in the resplendent golden age of the Tang.

EpilogueA New Chang’an

A thousand years have slipped by like a song. Ancient and modern meet here, and the tale of a thousand ages is sung anew. Xi’an — a city that carries the glory and pride of Chinese civilisation.

At Xi’an Qian Gu Qing Park, give us one day and we will repay you with a thousand years!