A historical opera telling the story of Wu Zetian, China's only recorded empress, premiered on Monday in Xi'an, an ancient capital located in the northwestern province of Shaanxi.
Created by Xi'an Sanyi Troupe after six years of dedicated efforts, the show "Stele Without Inscription" chronicles Empress Wu's legendary journey as the smart and ambitious woman navigated the complexities of governance and power, taking the throne in her own right, reforming the regime, developing the economy, fostering cultural prosperity, and ultimately paving the way for the golden age of the Tang Dynasty (618-907).
With captivating storyline and enchanting background music, the performance recreated the splendor of the Tang Empire in the form of Qinqiang Opera, a Chinese folk opera genre mainly prevailing in northwest China.
"Everything is incredibly beautiful, including the script, the director's interpretation, our performances, the music, the lighting, and the costumes. I hope that more audience, especially young people, will come to the theater to watch our Qinqiang Opera," said Hou Hongqin, one of the performers.
Founded about 3,100 years ago, Xi'an served as the capital of 13 dynasties in Chinese history, including the flourishing Tang Dynasty.
Historical opera featuring China's only empress staged in Xi'an
Historical opera featuring China's only empress staged in Xi'an
The popular Giant Panda Fu Bao was recently seen feasting away on a fresh bamboo meal while basking in the sunshine at a breeding base in southwest China's Sichuan Province.
Video footage showed a series of heartwarming scenes as the beloved four-year-old delightedly munched down her delicious bamboo shoots under the sun, with discarded bamboo peels scattered adorably across her body. The video was captured recently at the Shenshuping base of China Conservation and Research Center for Giant Pandas (CCRCGP) in the Wolong National Nature Reserve.
Fu Bao, meaning "lucky treasure", was born in July 2020 in South Korea and was the first panda cub ever born in the country. She is the daughter of giant pandas Ai Bao and Le Bao, who were sent to South Korea from China in 2016 on a 15-year lease.
The young panda captured the hearts of netizens and visitors during her time in South Korea with her adorable appearance and unique charm.
She returned to China in April this year and made her official public debut in Sichuan in June after a period of quarantine.
The CCRCGP is a world-leading institution dedicated to breeding and conserving one of China's national treasures, the giant panda. The center has also established a global platform for promoting international cooperation and exchanges involving 18 zoos from 16 countries and regions, 39 domestic animal breeding institutions, and over 10 scientific research institutes.
Beloved giant panda Fu Bao seen feasting away on fresh bamboo
