Child ticket seating information
based on 1,716 reviewImpression Sanjie Liu is a large-scale outdoor performance staged against the real landscape of the Shutong Hill section of the Li River in Yangshuo. With roughly a two-kilometer stretch of the Li River and more than ten peaks as its natural backdrop, the performance blends the legend of Sanjie Liu with the customs of Guangxi's Zhuang, Yao, Miao, Dong, and other ethnic minorities. Directed by Zhang Yimou, Wang Chaoge, and Fan Yue, with Mei Shuaiyuan as chief planner, the show has enjoyed a long and enduring run since its premiere in 2004.
The entire performance does not follow a complete storyline; instead, it uses Impression Sanjie Liu's folk songs as a thread, linking multiple color-themed chapters through expressive imagery. In the red chapter, ethnic minority youth sing antiphonally across the river and wave red silk to simulate fishing nets, depicting the labor scenes of Lijiang fishermen; the green chapter features an a cappella chorus by Dong maidens, portraying pastoral life with sunset glow, chimney smoke, cowherd boys driving cattle, and cormorants accompanying fishermen; the golden chapter focuses on the fishing lights of the Lijiang, with ever-burning oil lamps on bamboo rafts spreading across the night river like starlight; the blue chapter presents crescent spirits dancing and scenes of maidens bathing and marrying in love; in the silver chapter, Miao maidens dressed in silver-lit costumes walk slowly into the Lijiang, with lights and landscapes interweaving into a magnificent picture. In the finale, all performers take their curtain call as folk songs echo between heaven and earth.
The uniqueness of this performance lies in "using real mountains and real waters as the stage"—what the audience faces is not a constructed set, but the genuine landscape and sky of the Li River. Characters such as fishermen, village women, and cowherds are performed by local residents from surrounding villages, preserving an authentic quality of life. The performance takes place outdoors at night; attendees are advised to prepare clothing according to the weather, and arriving early allows one to experience the natural atmosphere of Shutong Mountain gradually lighting up in the twilight.



















Other visitors' reviews of Impression Sanjie Liu
Show More ReviewsA wonderful show, with the karst mountains providing a truly remarkable backdrop.