Beautiful performance at Jade Dragon Snow Mountain

This spectacular song and dance festival is really the most beautiful living art work in the world, literally at the highest level. The performance takes place at Jade Dragon Snow Mountain in Yunnan province, China. Thousands artists, musicians and dancers from the Naxi, Yi and Bai ethnic minorities take part in Impression Lijiang, the highest altitude production in the world. Created by famous Chinese film director Zhang Yimou, it is performed at 10,800ft above sea level. The Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is the southernmost glacier in the Northern Hemisphere. It has 13 peaks, among which Shanzidou is the highest, and stretches a length of 22 miles

Among the performers are members of the Naxi Ancient Music Orchestra who played on a specially-constructed on stage. The orchestra’s director, 84-year-old Professor Xuanke. Naxi music was born between 1382 and 1383, during the Ming Dynasty when soldiers were sent Yunnan province and subsequently decided to bring their families and lay down their roots. With less than 100 musicians still able to play, and most of them above 60 years of age, the ancient Naxi music faces extinction.

The mountain stretches a length of 22 miles and a width of 13 miles. Legend has it that once upon a time, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and the nearby Haba Snow Mountain were twins. They had lived on panning in Golden Sand River until one day an evil fiend usurped the river. The brothers were very brave and had a fierce fight with the fiend, Haba died in the fight and Jade Dragon drove off the fiend after wearing out 13 swords. For guarding the people and preventing the return of the fiend, Jade Dragon held the 13 swords in hands day and night. As time passed, the brothers had turned into the two snow mountains, and the 13 swords had become the 13 peaks. The mountain is a holy place for the local Naxi people not only because of the legend, but also because it was a place for young lovers to sacrifice themselves in honor of true love and to escape from the arranged marriages and feudal ethics.

Also known as Yulong Mountain, it is the southernmost glacier in the Northern Hemisphere. It is a sanctuary for rare animals and wild plants.

Performance at Jade Dragon Snow Mountain

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