As the Dragon Boat Festival draws near, Guangzhou will stage a rich array of cultural performances for the holiday. Blending time-honored traditions, profound history, and modern stage techniques, these events offer residents and visitors an immersive cultural experience during the festival.
Blockbuster dance drama The Exploitation of the Works of Nature (Tiangong Kaiwu) returns
Running from June 19 to 20 at the Century Hall of Guangzhou Baiyun International Convention Center, the blockbuster dance drama Tiangong Kaiwu makes its Guangzhou stop. Inspired by Song Yingxing, a scientist of the Ming Dynasty, and his technical encyclopedia Tiangong Kaiwu, the production has toured across 43 cities and attracted more than 100,000 viewers since its debut. Integrating dance, multimedia imagery, and contemporary technology, the performance transforms this ancient technical treatise into a vivid stage spectacle, showcasing China’s time-honored craftsmanship, ingenuity, and cultural heritage.
Date & Time:
June 19, 2026 (Friday), 7:30 PM–10:00 PM
June 20, 2026 (Saturday), 7:30 PM–10:00 PM
Duration: 120 minutes (including a 15-minute intermission)
Venue: Century Hall, Guangzhou Baiyun International Convention Center (广州白云国际会议中心世纪大会堂)
A musical journey through Dragon Boat Festival traditions
On June 20, the Guangdong National Orchestra will present a Dragon Boat Festival concert at Xinghai Concert Hall. Inspired by Dragon Boat customs in the ancient Chu region and Lingnan areas, the performance traces the cultural origins of the festival through Chinese orchestral music and traditional melodies. Conducted by renowned maestro Li Fubin and featuring a rich ensemble of instrumentalists and vocalists, the concert highlights the timeless cultural spirit and unique regional heritage of this traditional Chinese festival.
Date & Time: June 20, 2026 (Saturday), 8:00 PM
Venue: Symphony Hall, Xinghai Concert Hall (星海音乐厅交响乐演奏大厅)
Ticket Prices: VIP / RMB 380 / 280 / 180 / 80
Acclaimed drama Dawn on the Su Causeway in Spring (Sudi Chunxiao) comes to Guangzhou
From June 19 to 21, the National Theatre of China will stage the award-winning play Dawn on the Su Causeway in Spring at the Guangzhou Opera House. Written and directed by Tian Qinxin and headlined by renowned actor Xin Baiqing, the play reinterprets the life of literary master Su Shi (Su Dongpo) from a refreshing perspective. Combining poetry, calligraphy, the aesthetic charm of the Song Dynasty, and modern stage craft, the play vividly revives the elegance and cultural vitality of the Song Dynasty.
Date & Time:
June 19–20, 2026 (Friday–Saturday), 7:30 PM
June 21, 2026 (Sunday), 2:30 PM
Venue: Opera Hall, Guangzhou Opera House (广州大剧院歌剧厅)
Ticket Prices (Discounted): RMB 80 / 180 / 280 / 480 / 680 / 880 / 980
Author: Liu Lingzhi
Photo: Guangzhou Baiyun International Convention Center, Xinghai Concert Hall, Guangzhou Opera House
