A dance drama adaptation of "The Legend of the Silk Princess" will be shown in the National Center of Performing Arts in Beijing.
The legend is about how a princess sneaked eggs of silkworms out of China. Legend has it that when the princess married the emperor of Hotan, she had seeds of mulberry trees sowed. She then had the silkworms eat the leaves of the trees so they can multiply and make silk.
Many variations evolved out of this legend, as well as art forms such as paintings and drama. A painting depicting the legend is now on display in the British Museum in London.
The dance drama adaptation entitled "Silk Princess" will be performed by the Xi'an Song and Dance Ensemble, and did the dance's premiere in Xi'an in March.
Zuo Qing, the show's director, said, "We considered different art forms to tell the story of the Silk Princess, and dance drama, which breaks the barrier of language, is the most suitable form."
The legend of the Silk Road has many versions and the dance drama only chose one.
Qing said that he wanted to introduce the major characters of the legend and how the secret of the trade spread throughout the country.
According to the manager. Fang Ming, it took three years to prepare for the production. The Xi'an Song and Dance Ensemble was established in 1959 and is known for stage performances depicting Shaanxi culture.
"Silk Princess" is set on a stage design that has tones of the Tang Dynasty which was from 618 to 907 AD.
The Tang dynasty is called the "golden age of Chinese civilization and cosmopolitan culture." It was the era of great progress and stability, and opening of lucrative trade mechanisms such as the Silk Road.