Xi'an's Huaqing Palace rolls out cultural experience perks this June

Huaqing Palace in Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi province, has launched a series of children-focused cultural benefits this June, giving families low-barrier access to one of China's most storied heritage sites. The headline offer: all children under 1.3 meters tall can watch the landmark outdoor dance drama Song of Everlasting Sorrow free of charge.

The initiative also opens the scenic area's Liyuan-themed interactive script experience to all visitors at no cost, while over 100 Tang-style performances are staged daily throughout the grounds for free public viewing and participation.

Song of Everlasting Sorrow, adapted from Tang poet Bai Juyi's celebrated narrative poem of the same name, has run for 21 consecutive years and remains China's defining large-scale outdoor historical dance drama. The production recreates iconic scenes from the poem using modern stagecraft, weaving Tang poetry and dynastic history into an immersive audio-visual experience — giving children a chance to encounter textbook literature in a living, theatrical setting.

Complementing the main performance, the Liyuan interactive experience draws on the history of the Tang Dynasty (618-907)'s imperial opera academy. Through puzzle challenges and traditional music activities, families can explore the origins of Chinese opera culture while building critical thinking and teamwork skills in a relaxed environment.

Scattered across the park from morning to evening, daily Tang-style performances invite visitors to engage with performer-portrayed poets including Li Bai, Du Fu and Li He in impromptu poetry exchanges. Children who successfully match verses earn vintage-style "silver notes" redeemable for cultural gifts at the on-site Tang market — a gamified reward system that, the venue notes, also introduces basic concepts of earning, spending and resource planning.

The Children's Month campaign is part of Huaqing Palace's broader "learning on the journey with textbooks" educational tourism initiative, which aims to connect classroom knowledge with on-site cultural experience.

The scenic area says it plans to continue developing study tour programs and immersive experiences centered on Tang Dynasty heritage.