In an impressive fusion of traditional and contemporary performance arts, the National Museum of China (NMC) in collaboration with the Communication University of China (CUC) staged their first original dance drama, “Joyful Songs in a Flourishing Age,” at the NMC Theater. The performance was inspired by the “Pottery Storyteller Beating a Drum,” a revered cultural relic from China’s Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220 AD), symbolizing the earliest form of narration and singing in Chinese culture and forming the crux of Chinese folk art and opera.
The unique dance drama revitalized the 2,000-year-old figure of the drum-beating pottery storyteller on stage, successfully translating the optimistic spirit and resilient character of the Chinese people. The production marked a significant stride towards the revival of Chinese cultural relics on stage and embodied CUC’s initiative to foster the creative transformation and innovative development of traditional Chinese culture.
“Joyful Songs in a Flourishing Age” celebrated the lives of paiyou, the comedians who resided on the banks of the Jinjiang River in the Chengdu Plain two millennia ago. The performance encapsulated the highs and lows of the lives of these individuals, narrated through an artistic amalgamation of traditional performance arts like vaudeville and modern drama, opera, music, dance, and rap.
An unnamed official from NMC’s Leading Group for the Revitalization of Cultural Relics mentioned that the unique blend of traditional and modern, old and young, and educational and cultural elements, alongside diverse artistic techniques, defined the dance drama. Moreover, the performance’s optimistic tone and light humor brought joy to the audience. The fusion of contemporary musical elements with an ancient storyteller character offered a transcendent experience, bridging the gap of 2,000 years.
Amid the wave of digital transformation, Chinese museums have started leveraging advanced technology and new media to break traditional boundaries and bring ancient cultural relics to life. Institutions like the Tianjin Museum have developed immersive explorations of museums through virtual reality, while others have launched augmented reality videos and games, offering visitors an enriched, interactive experience. The NMC official emphasized the importance of promoting the digitization of cultural relics and strengthening audience interaction, thus injecting ancient artifacts with a renewed vitality in the contemporary era.
READ MORE: