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Organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, the Chinese Culture Festival is in full swing, with a succession of spectacular programmes taking to the stage. In September, the Festival will proudly present the large-scale original dance drama “Harmony in Eternal Melody” by Hubei Opera and Dance Drama Theater. Set during the Warring States period, the production blends suspenseful storytelling with Jing-Chu culture to illuminate the core cultural ethos that “Rituals bring order to the universe, and music creates universal harmony”. A full-scale replica of the national treasure, the “Bianzhong of Marquis Yi of Zeng”, will be recreated on stage, transporting audiences to the magnificent world of Chu ritual and music while offering an artistic and cultural experience that carries this rich heritage forward.
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Jing-Chu Charm Brings Harmony Through Ritual and Music
Against the turbulent backdrop of the Warring States period, “Harmony in Eternal Melody” explores the conflicts between war and peace, and between weapons and refined music.
Beginning with the fictional He and Yue states, the production unfolds in two parts followed by an epilogue. Part One, “Fire and Phoenix”, tells how He Cheng, the new ruler of the He state, is attacked and rendered unconscious as flames engulf the scene and the chime bells are destroyed. When he regains consciousness, General Ge Qi insists that the Yue state was responsible for the attack and urges him to seek revenge. Yet the final injunction of his mother, Queen Mother Le An, to “end wars and revive music” leaves He Cheng caught in a dilemma. Accompanied by the court musician Xi Yin, He Cheng must choose between the chime bells and the shadow of the sword amid a world of music and dance.
Part Two, “Spring and Bianzhong”, portrays He Cheng and Xi Yin rejoicing with the people and dancing to their songs. Ge Qi, however, refuses to stand by as he believes the He state is descending into weakness and decline. He kills the envoy from the Yue state, once again forcing He Cheng into a difficult choice. Amid treacherous political machinations and conflict, Xi Yin steps forward and exposes the conspiracy. With the truth revealed, Ge Qi is executed and He Cheng resolutely brings the flames of war to a halt. Xi Yin, however, sacrifices her life for redemption, leaving her and He Cheng forever separated by life and death. In the epilogue, “Harmony”, He Cheng recovers from his injuries and recasts the chime bells. He comes to understand that he must “wield the sword in his hand to safeguard the bell in his heart”, ultimately attaining the ideal of “Chimes that resonate in the Ninth Heaven, Bringing harmony to all lands on earth”.
Driven by suspenseful storytelling, the production brings together ancient Chu culture, bianzhong art, dance aesthetics and the language of theatrical performance. It reveals the spirit embodied in the Chinese cultural ethos that “Rituals bring order to the universe, and music creates universal harmony”, while echoing this year’s Chinese Culture Festival theme, “Legends”.
Through dance aesthetics and the language of theatrical performance, the dancers embody the spirit that “Rituals bring order to the universe, and music creates universal harmony”, echoing this year’s Chinese Culture Festival theme, “Legends”.
Chu-style Aesthetics Woven Throughout the Production
The stage design is undoubtedly one of the highlights of “Harmony in Eternal Melody”. Featuring forms inspired by bamboo slips, the set transports audiences to the ancient Chu state during the Warring States period. Moving through this evocative setting, the dancers use dance as their brush and music as their ink to inscribe a chapter of destiny. The choreography vividly captures the Chu people’s totemic beliefs and Wunuo culture. In the female group dance, the dancers recreate the classic Chu-style grace of “fluttering sleeves and bending waists”. Holding blade-shaped fans, they flick their flowing sleeves and turn their waists with delicate fluidity, revealing the grace and vitality of Chu women. In the male group dance, strong and powerful steps bring the heroic spirit of Chu warriors vividly to life. Together with ancient costumes in striking black and red, imagery inspired by totems such as the phoenix, crane, deer and leopard, and a blend of traditional movements for invoking blessings and warding off evil with contemporary dance, the production fills the stage with a romantic and mysterious atmosphere that fully embodies Chu-style aesthetics.
From the choreography to the costume design, the production is infused throughout with the Chu people’s totemic beliefs and Wunuo culture.
Stunning Recreation of National-treasure Chime Bells
Inspired by bianzhong culture, “Harmony in Eternal Melody” features full-scale replicas of treasured relics from the Hubei Provincial Museum, including the museum’s collection “Bianzhong of Marquis Yi of Zeng” and the “Tiger-base Phoenix-frame Hanging Drum”. These replicas not only evoke the atmosphere of the ancient Chu state during the Warring States period, but also form the central embodiment of the production’s spirit of ritual and music. The sound effects of these instruments are integral to the unfolding story, transporting audiences back to the ceremonial world of ritual and music long ago. The music closely interweaves the musical traditions of Chu, beliefs in spirits and deities, and the emotions of the characters. Through a musical dialogue across time, audiences are invited into the romantic world of “Chu Ci” (“The Songs of Chu”) to experience an enduring spirit of sincerity and pursuit.
The production is helmed by Chief Director Wang Ge, a national first-class director, with Xu Rui, President of the Beijing Dance Academy, as playwright. This acclaimed creative pairing previously collaborated on such popular productions as “Five Stars Rise in the East” and “Red Sorghum”. Since its premiere, “Harmony in Eternal Melody” has been widely acclaimed. It won the 18th Wenhua Award for Music and was selected as a funded project of the National Arts Fund 2025 under the large-scale stage play and work creation category.
Let the bells resound through the highest heavens and music bring harmony to the world. When the “Bianzhong of Marquis Yi of Zeng” begins to resonate, this epic ode to the spirit of Chu, spanning thousands of years, offers not only a feast for the eyes and ears, but also an extraordinary experience that brings traditional Chinese culture vividly to life. Blending suspenseful storytelling, Jing-Chu culture, and bianzhong ritual and music, the original dance drama “Harmony in Eternal Melody” is one of the unmissable highlights of the Chinese Culture Festival. A timeless resonance, a rare opportunity—the production awaits those who appreciate its music and invites all to experience it together.
Holding blade-shaped fans, the dancers gently flick their flowing sleeves and turn their waists with graceful fluidity, revealing the grace and vitality of Chu women.
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Chinese Culture Festival 2026:City Under the Moon - Dance Drama “Harmony in Eternal Melody” by Hubei Opera and Dance
Drama Theater
Date and time: 18 and 19 September (Friday and Saturday), 7:30pm
Venue: Grand Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural Centre
https://bit.ly/4guP1MI
