The Cloud Door Dance Theatre of Taiwan made its first outdoor performance in China on the evening of the second day with a staging of "The Legend of the White Snake" at the Liulang Wenying scenic spot by Hangzhou’s West Lake. Seven thousand spectators sprawled across the green grass by the lake—some with families, others with groups of friends—who fanned one another, passed around drinks and fruit, creating an atmosphere much like a big community gathering. One attendee said, “This is the White Snake returning home—both beautiful and meaningful.”
Cloud Gate brought a selection of works including "The Legend of the White Snake," as well as highlights from "Running Script II," "Wild Cursive," "Moon Water," and "Flower Language" to the West Lake stage. Although the location was Hangzhou, the show also attracted many audience members from Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. By 3:30 p.m., less than four hours before the 7:30 p.m. start time, people were already lining up at the entrance.
Ms. Su, a local from Hangzhou, said she had read about the Cloud Gate performance in the newspaper, gathered some friends, and brought along a big bag of snacks to join in the event. Mr. Huang, who had seen Cloud Gate perform in Beijing three years ago, called the group “Taiwan’s cultural calling card” and decided to extend his trip to Hangzhou a few extra days especially for this show.
However, such an outdoor performance was unprecedented in China, prompting the Hangzhou municipal government to deploy over 100 plainclothes security personnel on standby, along with 170 volunteers guiding entry and reminding the audience of proper viewing etiquette. Founder Lin Hwai-min addressed the crowd before the show began: “Let me make a bold request—please give Cloud Gate a gift: leave not a single piece of litter when you exit, so that Liulang Wenying remains lush and green.” Lin had previously halted performances in Beijing and Shanghai due to audiences using flash photography and constantly using their phones, and Chinese media had jokingly remarked beforehand, “We know—if there’s bad behavior, you’ll lose your temper.”
Nevertheless, the performance on the second day went smoothly and peacefully, with the audience below adhering to order and staying focused on the show. While some spectators murmured, “What’s that supposed to mean?” there was also a little girl sitting on the grass’s edge with her mother, gently nodding her head along with the serpentine movements of the White Snake and Green Snake on stage, occasionally turning to her mom to report on the plot: “Ah, the White Snake has fallen. I think she’s been locked up.”