The Palace Through Time | April 29-30 | Shenzhen Poly Theater

"The Palace Through Time," a new production from China Oriental Performing Arts Group, pairs dynamic choreography with the elegant mural lines of Shanxi's Yongle Palace, blending ancient architecture, mural art, glazed ceramics and living cultural heritage. It will tour to Shenzhen Poly Theater this April.

An exhibition of Yongle Palace murals in the theater lobby runs alongside the performances, allowing audiences to view these remarkable relics. Ticket holders also receive free digital admission to six tourist sites in Shanxi Province, including Yongle Palace.

Yongle Palace, a Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368) complex in Ruicheng County, Yuncheng, Shanxi, was begun in 1247 and completed 111 years later. Its murals cover 1,005.68 square meters. The most celebrated work is "Chaoyuan Tu" ("Court Assembly Painting") in Sanqing Hall.

This masterpiece, 97 meters long and 4.4 meters high, depicts a grand scene of Taoist deities paying homage to their chief god. The composition arranges 290 deities on the eastern and western sides around eight principal gods. The layout is meticulously balanced: No two figures wear the same clothing, headdress or facial expression, making it a pinnacle of ancient Chinese portraiture.

In the 1950s, construction of the Sanmenxia Reservoir on the Yellow River threatened to submerge the centuries-old complex. To save it, nearly 1,000 craftsmen and workers spent 10 painstaking years dismantling, cataloging, transporting and reassembling the palace at a new site.

Centered on the palace's epic relocation, the production unfolds in four interwoven chapters set across different eras. The chapters focus respectively on the grandeur of the architecture, the artistry of the "Chaoyuan Tu," the traditional peacock‑blue glazing technique, and the arduous relocation work of the craftsmen and builders.

Co-produced by China Oriental Performing Arts Group and Shanxi cultural authorities, the show premiered at Beijing's Poly Theater on Oct. 3, 2025, and is now touring more than 30 Chinese cities with over 50 performances scheduled.

Time: 8 p.m., April 29-30

Venue: Shenzhen Poly Theater, Nanshan District (南山区深圳保利剧院)

Metro: Line 2, 11, or 13 to Houhai Station (后海站), Exit E