Encounter Jiande's New Tourism Highlight: The Unmissable Grand Immersive Live Show 'Jiang Qing Yue Jin Ren'

Now when you travel to Jiande, besides savoring the dreamlike night scenery of the Xin'an River, what else can you experience? Well, there is indeed a unique and spectacular performance waiting for you to discover. Today, I'm going to share with you 'Jiang Qing Yue Jin Ren,' a performance that has been immensely popular and highly acclaimed since its debut. Each scene creates a magical time-travel journey for the audience. This live show integrates numerous high-tech elements, not only showcasing the collision of Jiande's history, culture, and natural landscapes, but also perfectly blending its ancient cultural heritage with the natural scenery. It allows visitors from afar to gaze into the past and present of this small city of Jiande, leaving them utterly awestruck.

The theme of 'Jiang Qing Yue Jin Ren' is drawn from the famous poem 'Staying Overnight at Jiande River.' Through the highly artistic motifs of 'River, Moon, and Man,' it unfolds beautiful scenes and multi-layered spiritual expressions such as 'Xin'an River, eternal moon, cycle of life, roots and nostalgia, past and present.'

Actually, many scenic spots and cities across China have classic performances. So what makes 'Jiang Qing Yue Jin Ren' special?

1. Unlike traditional fixed-stage performances, this show's entire performance area circles Moon Island clockwise. The viewing area is larger, providing a better visual experience.

2. It is an immersive, interactive performance where audiences have the opportunity to closely observe and even interact with most of the actors in each segment. In fact, some actors weave through the crowd, and with the addition of live sound, light, smoke, and water mist effects, it feels like being right in the midst of the action.

3. Due to the construction of the Xin'an River Hydropower Station, the water temperature remains between 14-17°C year-round, creating a warm-winter, cool-summer climate. During early mornings and nights, the temperature difference between the water and air becomes greater, forming the unique 'Baisha Mist' landscape between the Xin'an River Dam and Baisha Bridge. The Moon Island, where the show takes place, thus becomes the country's first island theater in the mist.

Sailing towards Moon Island in the Mist

When boarding at the dock, I almost thought the entire performance would take place on the boat. But that's not the case. The purpose of taking the themed cruise 'Jiang Qing Yue Jin Ren Hao' is for visitors to enjoy the beautiful night scenery on both banks of the Xin'an River before the show. Onboard, some actors from the live performance also interact with the passengers.

The cabin's interior design, themed around 'Jiande's Nine Surname Fishermen,' brings the fishermen's water wedding scene right before your eyes.

Then, several videos, songs, and dance performances on the boat introduce the poems related to 'Jiang Qing Yue Jin Ren,' Jiande's culture, and the origins of the Nine Surname Fishermen, giving visitors a deeper understanding of the show's general themes. Of course, watching the clips on screen is far less impressive than the live show; the performance on Moon Island is several times more spectacular than what you see on the boat!

As the large cruise ship heads to Moon Island at the center of the river, we pass under a series of bridges spanning the river. The beautiful scenery along the Xin'an River, with colorful neon lights, flits by.

The two main performers—an old man and a young girl—along with a matchmaker and other actors, use musical storytelling to foreshadow the five acts of the upcoming performance, adding plenty of fun to the cruise.

During intervals, there are interactive Q&A sessions. If you pay close attention to the videos, you might win some themed cultural and creative souvenirs, which is a nice little surprise.

A must-see performance in a lifetime, it truly lives up to its reputation.

Upon arriving at Moon Island, staff members use light signals and directional signs to seamlessly guide visitors to the central performance area on the island. Then, walking clockwise around the island, you watch the performances in sequence: from the first performance area near the central stage, to the second, third, and fourth, finally returning to the central area to cross the bridge and leave the island.

The five spectacular acts form a relatively complete, interconnected circular structure, each with completely different content, giving a fresh feeling at every step.

Act One: 'River·The Dawn of Chase'—What did the earliest 'Jiande people' look like?

A group of primitives dressed in animal skins and holding stone spears chase deer across a flower-filled riverbank, telling the story of the 'Jiande people' and their past with the Xin'an River.

Following the guide's voice (the old fisherman and his granddaughter from the boat) and the signs, we head to the first performance area. Although the path is quite dark, staff members with flashlights carefully guide us at every step and viewing area. Once most visitors have gathered, the lights suddenly go out, a spring thunderclap resounds, and flowers made of LED lights bloom in a flowing sequence, revealing a stunning, colorful sea of flowers. A series of dreamlike, intertwined scenes unfolds before the audience, presenting a vivid 'deer-chasing realm.'

Because it is a live performance, the acting area is right next to the front-row viewing area. Some 'primitives' even rush directly to the stage to interact with the audience. But don't worry—all actors are very precise about maintaining a respectful distance and will never cross the line (there is a clear boundary between the performance area and the audience area). Even those in the back rows need not worry about blocked views, as nearly every act is staged on sloped or terraced stages, ensuring every audience member can see all the details clearly.

A group of ancient 'Jiande people' wielding short clubs and long spears roam through the flower sea. Gradually, a bonfire lights up, illuminating a man and woman beside it. The man, dressed as a tribal leader, lovingly embraces his pregnant woman while murmuring softly. People slowly form a circle around them. Once a baby is born, everyone dances around the two leaders in celebration.

After a few wild deer dash by again, the 'Jiande people', led by the chief, let out a shout and chase them into a swirling time tunnel... It's worth noting that the two chiefs appear throughout the performance, and you can experience the special meaning for yourself.

Act Two: 'Clear·The Joy of Mountains and Waters'—Why did Yan Ziling retire to fish by the river?

It tells the reclusive dream of Yan Ziling, a noble scholar of the Eastern Han Dynasty, fishing alone on the Xin'an River. It allows one to appreciate Yan Ziling's leisurely life of fishing through the seasons, rejecting power and returning to nature.

The 'Jiande people' chief, carrying a long fishing rod, walks alone. Suddenly, a curtain of rain appears before the audience. After he passes through the thick rain, he transforms into the Han Dynasty scholar Yan Ziling, wearing a bamboo hat and raincoat. Behind him are villagers washing clothes and cooking, and an old farmer leading a grazing ox, depicting a peaceful, idyllic life away from worldly strife.

The viewing area here is somewhat like a traditional stadium, but it is separated from the performance area by a river, adding more layers to the show and making it quite magnificent.

A group of silk-washing maidens and the old fisherman engage in a dialogue about how Yan Ziling shared a bed with Emperor Guangwu of Han and then returned to the Xin'an River without official rank. The shimmering lights, reflections on the water, and the mist make the entire performance area exceptionally dreamlike, once again revealing the island theater's unique scene in the mist, truly mesmerizing.

Meanwhile, Yan Ziling himself sits motionless, letting the scenery around him change through spring blossoms, summer greenery, autumn gold, and winter snow. The guide, the old fisherman and his granddaughter, and the silk-washing maidens stand like statues, quietly listening to a conversation between Yan Ziling and a white egret in the air—probably about the hermit's joy in mountains and waters.

Finally, Yan Ziling follows dancing fairies into the forest, while the chief from the distant hill reappears to guide everyone to the next act.

Act Three: 'Moon·A Journey of Tang Poetry'—Did the Poet Immortal and Star Poets really visit Jiande?

Recreating the 'Tang Poetry Road of Western Zhejiang,' the ethereal Meng Haoran and Li Bai recite poems to the moon.

The previously seen Yan Ziling, in his bamboo hat and raincoat, walks slowly with his rod. After entering a patch of clouds, he transforms into Meng Haoran, as if traveling through time. On the other side of the mountain, a long laugh rings out, and the Poet Immortal Li Bai gracefully appears, dancing in a divine manner with wide robes and sleeves, his sleeves sweeping like wind to trace lines of poetry on the flower path.

On the ground of the performance area, a poetry scroll spreading across the path flips open page by page, and countless Tang poetry verses, large and small, float in the air as separated Chinese characters.

The two actors, accompanied by music, compete in drinking, poetry, and even dance—a truly rare spectacle.

Not far away, majestic harmonies resound through heaven and earth: 'I moor my boat by the misty islet; / Sunset renews the traveler's sorrow. / The wilds are vast, the sky stoops to the trees; / The river is clear, the moon seems near to man...' On the huge round moon at the mountaintop, Meng Haoran and Li Bai raise their cups and dance again. Of course, our familiar group of 'Jiande people' reappears to guide us to the next act.

Act Four: 'Near·Returning in the Wind'—Where did the 'Nine Surname Fishermen' come from?

It tells the epic story of Zhu Yuanzhang's battles at the end of the Yuan Dynasty, recreating the stirring and tragic heroism and the story of the Nine Surname clan members and their families being displaced to the Xin'an River, evoking endless threads of nostalgia.

As we pass through a city gate, we see chaos all around, with many panicked refugees right beside us. In the distance, flames soar into the sky, water columns shoot up, and the clashing of swords and spears is unceasing.

Though not as astonishing as the final act, this scene is actually the richest in layers and the most visually engaging. Refugees fleeing in panic are right beside us, and cannon fire seems to fly overhead, creating an unprecedented sense of immersion. The entire scene, from the sets to the actors' performances, feels incredibly real. Even with eyes and ears wide open, it's difficult to grasp every detail at once, demonstrating the meticulous effort put into this segment and its strong sense of involvement.

Just as we pass by, a caravan suddenly appears, and Huizhou merchants are hurriedly urging their horses forward.

Suddenly, flames intensify, and the city wall lights up. 'King of Han' Chen Youliang strides up with a sword, his red cape tattered. He looks up at the sky, and delivers a sorrowful speech about his unfulfilled ambitions to conquer the realm and his instruction for his followers to cease fighting.

Then, his silhouette becomes a shadow against the full moon. With a sudden howl to the sky, he raises his sword and takes his own life. A tragic four-line song of 'Return, return' echoes through the night. His followers and their families are stranded on the Xin'an River, which becomes the origin of the later 'Nine Surname Fishermen.'

Act Five: 'Man·Past and Present'—What was the water wedding of the 'Nine Surname Fishermen' like?

It tells the story of the Nine Surname Fishermen's difficult journey to fulfilling a romantic dream, allowing audiences to feel the infinite charm of a great love transcending time and space.

The first half shows a matchmaker facilitating a marriage among the Nine Surname Fishermen, presenting the entire rare and complete process of their boat wedding.

The performance concludes with the cry of a newborn. The colors in this scene are extremely dazzling. Although it lacks the swordplay and smoky battlefield of the previous act, it still creates an exceptionally beautiful atmosphere with a peaceful and joyful wedding, leaving a lasting impression.

Of course, such a beautiful beginning inevitably brings unforeseen misfortune. Following the old fisherman and his granddaughter across the bridge, we arrive at the second half of the final act's performance area.

The last performance area is like an arena, with a circular viewing area allowing every visitor to fully appreciate the entire performance.

In the light, a fishing boat slowly approaches. The girl Chen Yingniang, born at the previous wedding with a shooting star, is destined for an extraordinary life. Eighteen years later, Yingniang has grown up and falls in love at first sight with the school teacher Liu Siwen on the shore. They embrace and pour out their hearts. However, the 'Nine Surname Fishermen' ban on marrying people from the land hangs over them.

The young couple, in the flooded performance area, repeatedly give in to their feelings, only to be separated by official decrees, bidding farewell time and again.

Finally, the two decide to elope far away, leaving all restrictions behind. Amid the furious shouts of officials and clansmen, like thunder and lightning, storms, and towering waves threatening to swallow everything... Yingniang and Siwen teeter on a small boat. A powerful song about past and present resounds. A full moon rises from the water, and Yingniang and Siwen step from the water into the moon, performing an exquisitely beautiful duet of love.

The venue uses a large-scale elevated water spray system to create images of the river, towering waves, and the Xin'an River Dam, blending the actors' performance space with the projected natural elements, forming a human-shadow interactive performance that seems to transport the audience into a stunning, surreal world.

When the water system drains the stage, a huge moon image is projected onto the circular stage, reflecting a happy ending. The 'moon' naturally becomes the consistent emotional vehicle throughout the show. The five acts use five different technical methods to present five different moons—the Moon of the Xin'an River, the Moon of Tang Poetry, the Moon of Life Cycles, the Moon of Roots and Heart, the Moon of Past and Present—thus highlighting the thematic expression condensed in the line: 'A thousand-year misty island, an everlasting river and moon!'

Finally, the curtain call still revolves around the original chief couple and the old fisherman and his granddaughter. When the joyful matchmaker appears, she hands out belated wedding candies to the audience in every direction, so be sure not to leave early!

As a new tourism highlight of the Xin'an River, watching the immersive live performance of 'Jiang Qing Yue Jin Ren' in person leaves a lasting shock. On the way back to the hotel, everyone was still enthusiastically discussing the highlights of each act. Compared to other shows I've seen, this immersive live performance is indeed very special; many feelings can only be truly understood by experiencing it live. In peak tourist season, tickets might indeed be hard to come by.

Performance Viewing Tips

Performance Venue: Moon Island, Xin'an River, Jiande, Hangzhou

Ticket Price: Online discounted price 230 yuan (includes performance and boat ticket)

Winter Schedule (March-April, November) Shuangjiang Street Pier cruise time: 19:00

Summer Schedule (May-October) Shuangjiang Street Pier cruise time: 19:30

Accessible by high-speed train to Jiande Station or by car

Departure Pier: Shuangjiang Street Pier – Moon Island Pier

You can take a shuttle bus back to Shuangjiang Street.

Shuttle Bus Route: Caihong Bridge – Jiangbin Road – Yanzhou Avenue – Large Roundabout – Shuangjiang Street (stops at bus stops along the way)

'Jiang Qing Yue Jin Ren' elevates a simple evening cruise to a combination of 'cruise + immersive performance experience,' providing visitors to Jiande with more entertainment options. Whether it truly is a 'must-see performance in a lifetime' is something you'll have to come and experience for yourself.

Thank you for reading. May every encounter feel as fresh as the first!

I am @Shanghai Cold Air, and I'm delighted to share my trip to Jiande with you.

I look forward to the chance to travel with you next time. Thank you.