This Tang dynasty relief come to life under Song Jia and co. as they sing of a better life.

Using star power, original songs, and innovative stage performances, variety show National Treasure 国家宝藏 has made artifacts and museums come to life to the audience. A round-up of the best song and dance numbers, with performances from Chen Xiao, Song Jia, Purba Rgyal,   Zhai Tianlin, and Wu Tong.  Embedded videos are set to where the performance starts.

Students from the Beijing Dance Academy perform a dance that perfectly encapsulates the youthful playfulness and grace of young scholars.  Watch the viral practice room version here. If you like this style, I also recommend Zhao Lei, Yan Xujia, and Guo Zifan’s performance of  West Chamber here. I want a boyband with this style of performances.

Actor Zhai Tianlin, musician Wu Tong of Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble,, and dancer Li Yiyang perform a dance and song for Tang-dynasty poet Li Bai. Wu Tong and Li Liyang perform the full song here.

Actress Song Jia reenacts the tragedy of a group of Tang dynasty courtesans that seems to borrow from The Flowers of War. The song begins at at 8:14.

A fashion show with a recreation of Tang dynasty costumes based on figurines and murals.

Purba Rgyal, Sonam Dolga, and Duobujie sing the tale of the oldest Thangka found of The Epic of King Gesar

Actor Chen Xiao plays painter Gu Kaizhi, who faces painter’s block while painting the goddess Luoshen as depicted in the poem by Cao Zhi. He sees the pair of star-crossed lovers in his dreams and they sing this song of love for each other. The singers are Zhu Feng and Cai Yinru.

A dance of marriage from dance drama 十里红妆·女儿梦 that depicts many marriage traditions from Zhejiang.