Story and Photos
About 60 minutes, six acts: from the old wharf at Guangyuntan in Chang’an, across the wolf trail of the Western Regions, to the markets of ancient Rome — and home again to the willows of Ba Bridge. Each act below is paired with an official production photo.
Six acts, six photos
Act 1
Farewell at Chang'an
The old wharf of Guangyuntan linked Rome in the west and the three rivers in the east — a miniature of the high Tang. Leaving for the Silk Road was a young man's ambition; some came home rich, others never did.
Act 2
Peril on the Wolf Trail
The Western Regions are full of wonders, but the wolf trail is a pass the caravan cannot avoid. Fighting wolves and the elements, the drivers survive volcanoes, avalanches, bandits and the desert of death.
Act 3
Exotic Lands
The caravan reaches ancient Rome: crowded markets, silk and porcelain, Roman maidens dancing the drivers onto an open-air stage, and Chinese kung fu and acrobatics sharing the bill with foreign strongmen.
Act 4
Auspicious Rain
Loaded for home, the caravan meets Xuanzang's westbound pilgrim party. The drivers pray at the Bamiyan caves and are washed clean by an auspicious rain.
Act 5
Homeward
The caravan routes bound Eurasia together; the caravan itself is the shuttle. In Chang'an, Xiu'er and the other wives wait under the old trees of Ba Bridge, year after year — and then they see them coming home.
Act 6
A Flourishing Age
Envoys and caravans linked the nations. Trade prospered, the Tang court welcomed the world, and the emperor wished the Silk Road and China lasting prosperity.
Photos come from public performance materials and remain the copyright of the production company, for reference only. The performance on the day prevails.
