Wuyi's lasting impression

"Let go of your work; let go of your worries; let go of your burdens. Take your time and drink a cup of tea." With such repeated theme lines, the grand outdoor gala performance Impression, Da Hong Pao premiered Monday night at Wuyi Mountain, Fujian Province.

The larger-than-life show is the fifth installment of the Impression series after Liusanjie, Lijiang, Xihu and Hainan, co-directed by Zhang Yimou, Wang Chaoge and Fan Yue.

According to Wang, Impression, Da Hong Pao differs from the previous Impressions by providing audiences with an opportunity to escape busy urban life and a chance to realize the benefits of slowing down and was inspired by the casual and carefree lifestyle of Wuyi Mountain residents.

Da Hong Pao (Red Robe Tea) is the signature tea grown and produced in and around Wuyi Mountain and dates back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907). Growing, producing, selling and drinking Da Hong Pao are the major components of local life and form the main focus of the show.

"Da Hong Pao and its tea culture are what we try to portray and analyze in the show," explained Zhang at a press conference moments before the premiere. In his opinion, tea is something elegant and divine, quoting an old saying: "With six cups of tea one can reach heaven." He added that tea is also a common everyday part of most Chinese people's lives.

Impression, Da Hong Pao has five chapters: Feast in Tang Dynasty, Dancing in the Bamboo Forest, Legendary Love Story, Selling and Producing Tea and Cruising on a Bamboo Raft. The 70-minute show reflects Wuyi tea culture from both an upper and lower-class perspective and involves 270 local performers.