Traditional dance wows audiences

Dancers rehearse Memory of Jiangnan, a performance which was staged during the Spring Festival gala by China Central Television on Jan 31, the eve of Lunar New Year. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

A performance which brought to life the legendary Chinese painting Dwelling in Fuchun Mountains captivated audiences nationwide during the Spring Festival gala broadcast on China Central Television on Jan 31, the eve of Lunar New Year.

Titled Memory of Jiangnan, the performance featured female dancers holding yellow oil-paper umbrellas as well as Chinese actors Feng Yuanzheng, Pu Cunxin and Li Liqun reciting excerpts from ancient poems that lavish praise on the splendid views of the banks of the Fuchun River.

The painting Dwelling in Fuchun Mountains was created by master painter Huang Gongwang in the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). In his later years, Huang traveled to the section of Fuchun River in Tonglu county, East China's Zhejiang province, where he lived in seclusion.

More than 80 percent of the scenery depicted in the painting Dwelling in Fuchun Mountains is from Tonglu.

With its great mix of natural scenery and historic sites, Tonglu was constantly extolled by ancient poets. According to historical records, more than 1,900 poets, including Li Bai, Bai Juyi, Wang Wei, Meng Haoran, and Fan Zhongyan, visited Tonglu and created over 7,400 poems since the Tang Dynasty (618-907).