Shen Yun Performing Arts
  • About Shen Yun
    New to Shen Yun?
    9 Characteristics of Shen Yun
    Our Story
    Challenges We Face
    Classical Chinese Dance
    Symphony Orchestra
  • Artists
  • Videos
  • What’s New
    What’s New
    News
    Blog
  • 5,000 Years
    Chinese Dance
    Music
    Vocal Music
    Shen Yun Costumes
    Digital Projection
    Shen Yun Props
    Stories and History
    Shen Yun and Traditional Chinese Culture
  • FAQ
  • Reviews
  • Newsletter Support Employment Search
    English
  • 中文正體
  • 中文简体
  • 日本語
  • 한국어
  • Česky
  • Deutsch
  • Español
  • Français
  • Indonesia
  • Italiano
  • Nederlands
  • Polski
  • Português
  • Pусский
  • Română
  • Svenska
  • Việt
  • עברית
  • Tickets & Info
    Menu
    Shen Yun Logo
    Tickets
    What’s New
    Menu
    • About Shen Yun
      • New to Shen Yun? 9 Characteristics of Shen Yun Our Story Challenges We Face Classical Chinese Dance Symphony Orchestra
    • Artists
    • Videos
    • What’s New
      • What’s New News Blog
    • 5,000 Years
      • Chinese Dance Music Vocal Music Shen Yun Costumes Digital Projection Shen Yun Props Stories and History Shen Yun and Traditional Chinese Culture
    • FAQ
    • Reviews
    • Shop
      • Shen Yun Creations
      • Shen Yun Dancer
      • Shen Yun Gift Shop
    Shen Yun 9 Characteristics Link Image

    What Makes Us Unique?

    DISCOVER THE 9 CHARACTERISTICS
    • Employment
    • Support
    • Subscribe
    • Search
    Language
    • 中文正體
    • 中文简体
    • 日本語
    • 한국어
    • Česky
    • Deutsch
    • Español
    • Français
    • Indonesia
    • Italiano
    • Nederlands
    • Polski
    • Português
    • Pусский
    • Română
    • Svenska
    • Việt
    • עברית
      News
      Back News > The Inspiriting Battle of Red Cliff

    The Inspiriting Battle of Red Cliff

    Carved into the ancient rock face along the Yangtze River, just southwest of the city of Wuhan, are the words “Red Cliff” (赤壁 chì bì). While the characters themselves are said to be a thousand years old, the battle they commemorate is older still.

    At the fall of the Han Dynasty (206 B.C.E.–220 C.E.), armies of mythic proportions gathered here as China’s once-powerful empire splintered into warring kingdoms. The cunning military leader Cao Cao led a force of hundreds of thousands, but it was the greatly outnumbered underdog Sun Quan and his ally Liu Bei who won the decisive battle. While their victory did not decide the war, it did create a stable balance of power between the major players of the Three Kingdoms period, and Cao Cao would never truly regain such singular dominance.

    The descent of the Han Dynasty into the Three Kingdoms period meant a temporary end to a united China. It could have also meant the end of the Chinese empire, if not for the fact that those fighting were all, in their own way, fighting to preserve the idea of China as “The Middle Kingdom.”

    Because of this, the 5,000 years of China that we speak of today is not so much a continuation of central government or a seat of power as it is the endurance of culture, customs, and ideals.

    Fictionalized in the classic Chinese novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, the Battle of Red Cliff has captured the imagination of the Chinese people for generations upon generations. It is associated with great tragedy, but also with stratagem, valor, and the ideals of Chinese patriotism.

    Shen Yun 2017’s classical Chinese dance Red Cliff glimpses this momentous battle through the eyes of a soldier. This soldier is not an ancient warrior, but one from the 1930s. A general from Chiang Kai-Shek’s Nationalist Kuomintang forces, he is separated from his troops and stumbles upon the site of the “Red Cliff” engraving along the Yangtze River. Tired, wounded, and alone, he rests against the riverbank and dreams himself back into the heat of a battle that took place some 1,700 years before. Watching the legendary scene unfold, he is rejuvenated by the courage of warriors past. And upon waking, he decides that his idea of China—the idea that unites him with his ancestors that stood on that very ground—is one worth fighting for.

    • Traditional Chinese Culture
    • Historical Anecdotes
    • Shen Yun Dances
    • Romance of the Three Kingdoms
    RELATED CONTENT
    • 3kingdoms
      The Great Classic: Romance of the Three Kingdoms
    • Leading History Han
      The Han Dynasty
    • ZhugeLiang StrawBoats Thumbnail
      Three Kingdoms: Capturing Arrows with Boats of Straw

    Previous

    The Phoenix of the Orient

    Next

    Sandy: The Giant Fish-Turned Monk
    Most Recent
    • Symphony Orchestra is Back – For One Day Only!
      SYSO Article Header
    • Official 2024 Trailer is Here!
      TN SYTrailer2024 V1
    • Shen Yun Dancers to Compete in International Event
      DanceComp Title Header
    • Made in America, Real Chinese Culture
      Header July4 650x400ratio
    • 2023 Season Over, What’s Next?
      CurtainCall LC Back B160591 Web Header
    • Photos from Tour: From Israel to Mexico
      15G DSC02833 Header
    • The Stratagem: An Original Shen Yun Opera
      SYZP23 Diaochan 650x400ratio Thumb
    • Artist Spotlight: Karina Fu
      KarinaFu Header EN
    • Photos from Tour: Blooming Across Continents
      IMG 0035 2000x1500
    • Introducing: Shen Yun’s Video Platform
      SYZP Header En
    Most Popular
    • All
    • News
    • Blog
  • 1 The Four Beauties
  • 2 Shen Yun Dancers to Compete in International Event
  • 3 Symphony Orchestra is Back – For One Day Only!
  • 4 Official 2024 Trailer is Here!
  • Show More
  • 1 Shen Yun Dancers to Compete in International Event
  • 2 Symphony Orchestra is Back – For One Day Only!
  • 3 Official 2024 Trailer is Here!
  • Show More
    Show More

    Tags

    • Traditional Chinese Culture
    • Historical Anecdotes
    • Shen Yun Dances
    • Romance of the Three Kingdoms
    Shen Yun logo golden
    Shen Yun logo golden

    Shen Yun Performing Arts is the world's premier classical Chinese dance and music company, established in New York in 2006. It performs classical Chinese dance, ethnic and folk dance, and story-based dance, with orchestral accompaniment and solo performers. For 5,000 years, divine culture flourished in the land of China. Through breathtaking music and dance, Shen Yun is reviving this glorious culture. Shen Yun, or 神韻, can be translated as: “The beauty of divine beings dancing.”

    About
  • New to Shen Yun?
  • Shen Yun Symphony Orchestra
  • Challenges We Face
  • Shen Yun & Spirituality
  • Meet the Artists
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Employment Opportunities
  • Videos
  • Latest & Featured
  • About Shen Yun
  • Meet the Artists
  • Reviews
  • News & Blog
  • What’s New
  • Featured
  • News
  • Blog
  • Reviews
  • Explore
  • Chinese Dance
  • Music
  • Vocal Music
  • Shen Yun Costumes
  • Digital Projection
  • Shen Yun Props
  • Stories and History
  • Shen Yun and Traditional Chinese Culture
  • Interact with us:
    Follow Us on Gan Jing World
    Sign Our Guestbook
    Get to Know More about Shen Yun
    on Our Streaming Platform
    Arts Proficiency Assessment Center
    Luxury Goods and Keepsakes
    Inspired by Shen Yun
    Shen Yun Dancer
    Shen Yun Performing Arts Official Website Copyright ©2023 Shen Yun Performing Arts. All Rights Reserved.
    Contact us Terms Privacy Site map