The other most memorable part of the trip to 西安 was one of the night's entertainment, a performance of Chinese opera. I'll apologize in advance here for not having any pictures of the experience (we were told not to bring cameras in), but they would have definitely been inadequate.
Chang hen ger is a piece of Chinese epic poetry written by one of China's most famous ancient poets during the Tang dynasty. Many look on this time as China's ancient golden age, and the opulence of the costumes and scenery definitely fit with that notion. The story is set in the Tang court, where the emperor is introduced to the love of his life. As a matter of fact, The two fall so deeply in love that the emperor totally neglects his duties, leading to all sorts of problems (I won't spoil the plot-if you are ever in Xi'an, you must go watch for yourself).
I keep getting sidetracked here talking about all of the elements of the production, but in the end what I really just need to talk about the special effects, the most over the top that I have ever come into contact with. The whole show was situated at an amphitheater in front of a lake. The lake appeared normal to a casual view, but after the show started we discovered that it was more machine than water, full of hydraulic platforms, fountains, and lights. Behind all of this was the extremely ornate palace, and behind that was a (real) mountain. The entire audience experienced a huge shock when the opera's "night" arrived and rather than just dimming the lights, the mountainside was lit up with countless "stars," lights that had been placed across the entire mountainside. After that point, a giant mechanical moon rose over the mountain's peak. Really? Really?
PS--I was so impressed with the opera that I almost forgot to mention that there was no actual singing and that all of the music was recorded. :P
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