On June 27, 2014, the large-scale outdoor landscape performance "Tianxia 'Mountain of Love'", jointly created by the Jizhou Tourism Culture Group and Mr. Mei Shuaiyuan, the founder of China's landscape live-action performance genre, will premiere officially in Panshan, Jixian County, Tianjin.
Why Did Mei Shuaiyuan Choose Panshan in Jixian County?
Mr. Mei Shuaiyuan explained that the primary reason for choosing Jixian County is its proximity to Beijing. Establishing an outdoor landscape performance here will fill a cultural gap in the live-performance scene across the Beijing-Tianjin region. Secondly, Jixian County has a profound cultural heritage, though it remains underexplored. In particular, Panshan, once visited 32 times by Emperor Qianlong and home to 72 temples as a sacred Buddhist site, holds a rich cultural core that deserves deeper excavation through live-action performance. Moreover, Emperor Qianlong’s repeated visits to Panshan must have had their reasons and significance, leaving room for imagination and creative possibilities in crafting this live show.
The Significance of the Live Performance for Jixian Tourism
Li Shuling, General Manager of the Jizhou Tourism Culture Group, stated that Jixian has long been seeking a tourism participation model that not only showcases its unique travel appeal but also delves into its historical and cultural essence. Through research, surveys, and multi-faceted analysis of the current situation in Jixian, they finally decided to produce an outdoor landscape performance that integrates real mountains, waters, and people, while using song and dance to present local culture.
The debut of "Tianxia 'Mountain of Love'" will transform Jixian’s tourism from a mere sightseeing model to one that captures the hearts of visitors with storytelling, leaving a lasting impression. It offers not just views of landscapes, but tastes of history; not just entry into forests, but gains in knowledge. At the same time, it elevates the cultural depth of Jixian and fills a cultural void in its tourism offerings.
Musical Theater Elements Are the Biggest Highlight
Director Liu Chun explained that the most distinctive highlight of "Tianxia 'Mountain of Love'" is the ingenious incorporation of musical theater elements. Unlike previous live-action performances, "Tianxia 'Mountain of Love'" includes a substantial amount of singing, with music making up three-fifths of the entire show. Actors perform solo, chorus, and trio numbers to portray “this mountain,” “this water,” and “these people,” conveying the essence of the live-action concept of “unity between man and nature” through heartfelt vocals.
"Tianxia 'Mountain of Love'" blends imperial grandeur with Buddhist culture, merging humanistic sentiment with picturesque scenery. Enhanced by music, stage effects, visual impact, and compelling dialogue, it seeks resonance with audiences and delivers reflections on the sentiment that “life is inevitably imperfect.” Director Liu Chun boldly predicts that this emotionally immersive, culture-driven format will become a significant trend in the evolution of landscape live-action performances.
Behind-the-Scenes Team Discusses Stunning Stage Design
The performance venue of "Tianxia 'Mountain of Love'" is located on the southern foothills of Panshan. The stage covers an area of 158 mu (approximately 10.5 hectares), and the audience area spans 3,200 square meters, accommodating over 1,600 spectators simultaneously. Such a grand and magnificent production—with its stage design, costumes, props, lighting, and sound—sparks the imagination and stirs strong anticipation.
Lu Jie, Artistic Director of "Tianxia 'Mountain of Love'", explained that to achieve a more perfect and stunning stage effect, they first developed initial concepts based on 3D animation demonstrations, then implemented the planning of on-site stage equipment step-by-step according to the design. Mr. Lu has many years of experience managing artistic aspects of variety shows, galas, and other large-scale events, with rich expertise in coordinating various departments.
"Tianxia 'Mountain of Love'" tells the love legend of Emperor Qianlong, and the costumes worn by the actors in the film are particularly eye-catching. According to Kui Xiangyang, head of the stage art department, the costumes of "Tianxia 'Mountain of Love'" are exquisitely made, with superior texture and elegant lines, making the actors exceptionally striking once dressed—a perfect match for the refined and meticulous nature of this live performance. The production team currently has 960 costumes and over a thousand props. The main characters’ costumes change according to different scenes, such as childhood, youth, ascension to the throne, and wedding periods, with five actors portraying Emperor Qianlong in different attire for each phase.
The lighting and sound engineers of "Tianxia 'Mountain of Love'" are two young yet highly skilled professionals—He Zhilin and Wang Haiqing. They explained that all lighting and sound equipment used in the show are from internationally renowned brands. Lights and speakers are installed all around the performance site, which sits over 700 meters above sea level. These will be adjusted according to scene changes and plot needs, synchronizing with the actors’ performances to create various stunning visual and auditory effects. Additionally, to highlight the musical theater elements in "Tianxia 'Mountain of Love'", the sound design appropriately incorporates techniques from musical productions.
