AN award-winning dance drama centered around a 2,000-year-old national treasure is set to captivate Shenzhen audiences in August, offering the viewers a unique journey back to the Han Dynasty (202 B.C.-A.D. 220).

“Five Stars Rise in the East” draws inspiration from an ancient brocade armband unearthed in the northwestern Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in 1995. One of China’s national treasures and a significant archaeological find of the 20th century, the brocade armband features eight embroidered characters that roughly translate to “five stars rise in the east, benefiting China.” The artifact symbolizes the ancient people’s wishes for prosperity of their homeland, and highlights the rich cultural exchanges along the Silk Road.

Excavated from a tomb at the Niya ruins in Xinjiang, the precious armband depicts the vast cultural integration between the Central Plains and the Western Regions during the Han Dynasty. According to historians, an independent oasis state called Jingjue once thrived at Niya, a location along the ancient Silk Road.

The dance drama unfolds against the historical backdrop, telling a touching story involving a Han Dynasty border general, the son of a northern nomadic tribal chief and the princess of the Kingdom of Jingjue. The general captured the tribal chief’s son, but they became lost in the desert and found themselves in Jingjue in the end. The three developed an unexpected friendship.

With a dramatic and emotionally rich narrative, the production explores the deep bonds between various ethnic groups in China, embodying the essence of Chinese civilization as “unity in diversity.”

Since its premiere, the production has won many awards, including the Wenhua Grand Prize at the 13th China Art Festival, a top accolade in the performing arts of the country.

Time: 8 p.m., Aug. 29-30

Venue: Grand Theater, Guangming Culture and Art Center, Guangming District (光明文化艺术中心演艺中心大剧场)

Metro: Line 6 to Fenghuang Town Station (凤凰城站), Exit B(Tang Li)