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Photo by Candy 2014

Last Saturday my dear friend and I were invited to attend the Dujiangyan Water Release Festival of 2014, and let me tell you guys, it was without a doubt the most magnificent performance I have ever seen, anywhere. The actors, the costumes, the dancing and choreography were a wondrous sight to behold. The traditional music, the gonging of the huge drums, and the beauty of the singing added to the overall experience, making it a day to remember forever. The performances were faultless, and the costumes, the color, and beauty of it all, was overwhelming.

Our Dujiangyan Irrigation Project is said to be at least two thousand years old and the play told the story of the releasing of the water through dance and music, with probably hundreds, if not thousands, of highly trained performers including actors, dancers, Kung Fu masters, lovers, and of course, the dragons! One gets a real feel for what it must have been like in the ancient days of China. I have never seen anything remotely like this ever before. It was truly awe inspiring! It depicted many scenes from ancient China, from the building of the irrigation system to rice farming, and smaller stories too, such as a young son who had been abroad returning to his old parents after many years away. There was a charming story of young lovers too. There were men and women in glorious attire carrying sacrificial animals, and workers, both men and women, carrying baskets of stones (I think) on their backs. Words fail me in trying to describe the grandeur of this event.

Watching this performance in the high mountains of Dujiangyan on a foggy day nearly took my breath away. The weather, although chilly and a bit rainy, was entirely suitable for this occasion. It is something that I feel so fortunate to have experienced. No Broadway show that I have seen could ever rival this. I heard one American guy sitting near me remark that China is so rich in culture, and what do we have in America? Baseball and hot dogs! Well, we do have some cool stuff in America too, but definitely nothing that rivals what took place last Saturday. China's civilization and their long and beautiful history is something that will stay with me always, and I will never forget this experience of my own favorite city and second home.

China, thank you for sharing this momentous event!

Photograph by Alex 2014