On the evening of January 14, the second season of Journey of Chinese Art on the Scroll, a general cultural program produced by China Media Group, aired on CCTV at 8:00 p.m., the prime time valued by Chinese viewers. Boat past Rivers and Mountains, a dance commissioned by Yichang City made its national debut.

　　With an aim to unveil natural landscapes in ancient times, the New Year’s TV show in the theme of “Rivers Roiling Restlessly” will introduce river-related paintings well-known in history in 11 episodes. The opening piece of artwork is “Ten Thousand Miles of the Yangtze River”, a ten-meter-long scroll painted by the fifteenth-century Ming painter Wu Wei (1459-1508). Immersed in the echoing poems, the audiences are carried into the virtual environment, enjoying the natural and manmade wonders all the way like travelers, such as the Xiling Gorge, the Three Gorges Tribe, the Qingjiang River Gallery, the Eagle Beak Rock, and G348 Three Gorges Highway. The stunning dance performance at the beginning--“Boat past Rivers and Mountains”--unfolds the wonderful view of Yichang.

　　The art presentation tells the story of the great Tang poet Li Bai (701-762), who sails on a small boat past towering mountains and clusters of reefs, experiencing a sense of relief described in his own poem, “mountains thin out as the plains start to stretch, and the river flows through the vast wilderness,” and whose state of mind ends up like a gliding boat which leaves behind ranges of mountains, an evidence of his ability to get over grief and hardships and face up to any life unknowns. As a combination of music, dance, and poetry to illustrate the cultural aspect of the Yangtze River, the choreography was filmed by the riverside in Yichang to highlight the history and culture of the longest river in China.

　　“Waterfalls hanging between mountains are slashing down,” At the Gaolan Waterfall Attraction in Xingshan County, dancers dressed in robes with ink paintings chant in chorus; “Countless falling leaves rustling down, the boundless Yangtze River rolling along,” at the Eagle Beak Rock in Zigui County, an actor-played Li Bai expresses his strong emotions by reciting poetry; “The lonely sail disappears into the horizon, with only river water flowing,” at the Qingjiang River Gallery in Changyang County, actors portray the poet’s broad-mindedness with fluid movements... As a unique art form, the whole performance gives full play to geographic features and historical culture of Yichang, representing the beautiful natural scenery and distinctive cultural charm along the Yangtze River.

　　When the animated film Chang An was released in China on July 8, 2023, the governmental department of Yichang City commissioned Li Yan, an outstanding young Chinese choreographer who designed and directed the dance of the film, to undertake the project, and invited Zhang Qu, a renowned Yichang-born musician and director from China National Opera and Dance Drama Theater, to compose the music for it. It was performed by the celebrated dancer Zheng Nan joined by the Hubei Three Gorges Performing Arts Group.

　　The dance was reportedly well received on its first show at the opening ceremony of the fourth Yichang Art Festival. In early December of 2023, the crew were invited to participate in the recording of the CCTV program---Journey of Chinese Art on the Scroll. Helped by the wonderful natural and cultural beauty and the great historical culture of Yichang, the much-acclaimed performance has revealed the unique charm of the “City of Poetry.” (Reporter/He Jing, Correspondent/Yu Xuenan)