Zuomei: Sanjiang

Zuomei: Sanjiang
《坐妹·三江》

Venue: Dongxiang Niaochao Stadium, Guyi town, Sanjiang county, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region

Ticket price: 148 yuan per person ($20.85)

Show time:
8 pm - 9pm

Duration: 60 minutes

Notes:
1. Children under 1.2 meters enter free (one adult may bring one child free of charge; the child may not occupy a seat).
2. Children between 1.2 and 1.4 meters, full-time students, and seniors aged 60 and above may purchase tickets at the ticket window for a flat rate of 100 yuan with a valid ID.

Zuomei: Sanjiang (Sitting with the Maiden in Sanjiang) is a large-scale live performance that brings the traditional courtship practice among China’s Dong ethnic group vividly to life. Blending heritage with creativity, the show integrates architecture, music, dance, costumes and folk customs into a single immersive experience that celebrates the artistry and vitality of Dong culture.

The production draws from a wealth of intangible cultural heritage — from the Dong people’s intricate wooden architecture and farming traditions to their melodious polyphonic songs, reed-pipe dances and colorful wedding rituals. Through poetic choreography and visual storytelling, the performance captures the Dong people’s joyful, romantic and harmonious way of life.

Told in four acts across one enchanted night, the story reveals the stages of love and marriage in Dong society. Seeking the Maiden shows young men journeying to meet girls by lantern light; Playful Encounters captures lively flirtations through music and dance; Zuo Mei (Sitting with the Maiden) portrays moonlit confessions of love; and Joy at Dawn celebrates a radiant wedding filled with song, silver and laughter.

Widely practiced in Dong villages of Sanjiang county in Guangxi, the ceremony of “zuomei” is usually held at night in a girl’s home or by the family hearth. It includes visiting villages, singing duets and sharing late-night meals. Through music, talent displays and exchanging tokens, participants deepen mutual understanding.