The Flowers of War

This fall, Guangming Culture and Art Center marks the fourth anniversary of its official opening.

The cultural landmark of Guangming District is flanked by the Xincheng Park in the north and a Maozhou River tributary in the south.

In front of the building, an artificial pond measuring 170 meters long and 18 meters wide forms the instagrammable “Eye of Light” together with an arched entrance. In addition to the 452-seat concert hall and the art museum, the center also has a 1,500-seat theater, a library and an exhibition hall. The venue has become a go-to venue for art fans in the district, with shows staged regularly since September 2020.

Between October and December, some 20 concerts and shows are scheduled to mark the center’s anniversary.

Directed by Lang Kun, a producer of China’s CCTV, the dance drama “The Flowers of War” is based on the storyline of its namesake movie by veteran Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou. Scriptwriter Feng Shuangbai penned the script for the 120-minute show.

A poster of dance drama “The Flowers of War.” File photo

With elaborate stage set and delicate costumes, the show tells the story of how 13 prostitutes, hidden in a church with girl students during the Japanese invasion of Nanjing during World War II, stood up to “entertain” the Japanese soldiers at their camp in place of the students. The story of sacrifice and honor is beautifully interpreted with exquisite dance moves.

Time: 8 p.m., Dec. 14; 3 p.m., Dec. 15

Venue: Guangming Culture and Art Center, Guangming District

Metro: Line 6 to Fenghuang Town Station, Exit B, then walk around 800 meters