National-Level List! Sanya’s “The Red Detachment of Women” Live Performance Selected for National Tourist Performance Excellence Catalog

Source: Official Website of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People’s Republic of China

Breaking News: On January 15, the Department of Industrial Development under the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People’s Republic of China announced the second batch of projects selected for the National List of Premium Tourism Performances. The Sanya project by Shaanxi Tourism Group—the large-scale live performance “The Red Detachment of Women” set in the coconut sea—has been successfully selected as the sole entry from Hainan Province! With its profound red cultural significance and breathtaking immersive experience, this achievement adds another “national-level” gold-standard credential to Hainan’s cultural and tourism industry.

In 2018, Shaanxi Tourism Group and Beijing Spring Light Group jointly invested 590 million yuan to create the large-scale live-action performance “The Red Detachment of Women,” staged nightly in Sanya. This production deeply awakens the city’s revolutionary legacy, breathing new life into history in the present day.
Adapted from Liu Wenshao’s reportage of the same name, the performance draws inspiration from the revolutionary history of over a hundred female soldiers from the Women’s Military Intelligence Company of the Third Regiment, Second Independent Division of the Chinese Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army. It artistically recreates the revolutionary journey of these Qiongya female soldiers, whose average age was under 20, as they steadfastly upheld their beliefs and fought valiantly amidst the flames of war.

 

Every plot development in the performance meticulously constructs a bridge connecting “history” and “the present.” Their growth is not an overnight transformation, but a gradual process of breaking free from feudal shackles through trials by fire and blood—a journey from the “small self” to the “greater self”: from submission to fate to rising in defiance, from solitary struggle to collective advancement, from personal affection to national responsibility.
It is precisely this tenderness amidst the flames of war that transforms sacrifice from dread into courage, infuses steadfastness with warmth, and allows us today, through profound empathy, to touch the fiery, unyielding souls of that era.

Large-Scale Live Performance “The Red Detachment of Women” in the Coconut Sea
The large-scale live performance “The Red Detachment of Women” at Coconut Sea breaks through the barriers of time and space through technology, allowing audiences to truly “step into” that tumultuous era. From its inception, the project established a comprehensive and complex technical system encompassing multiple dimensions—visual, auditory, tactile, and special effects—integrating numerous systems and diverse technologies.
The performance unfolds against a backdrop of natural landscapes, utilizing 2,400 dynamic seats and a matrix-style mobile stage. Combining naked-eye 3D technology, laser effects, real explosions, aerial wirework, and a panoramic multimedia system, it immerses audiences in the storyline during a 50-meter-plus moving viewing experience.
The stage scenery undulates with varying elevations, vividly recreating Hainan’s pristine jungles, rolling mountains, and primitive villages through multidimensional combinations and flexible transformations. As the audience moves through the space, they experience the flow of history and the ebb and flow of emotions.

Shaanxi Tourism Group actively responded to General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important directive to “make good use of revolutionary resources, carry forward revolutionary traditions, and pass on the revolutionary spirit.” Moving beyond Shaanxi, the group ventured south to Sanya. Leveraging the successful experience of immersive performances like drawing on the successful experience of immersive performances like The Song of Everlasting Sorrow and Yan’an Nursery School. Precisely targeting the market opportunity for upgrading Sanya’s cultural tourism industry, the group employed its mature “culture + tourism + immersive performance” operational model. Along the Binlang River in Sanya, Hainan, it created the large-scale immersive performance The Red Detachment of Women amidst coconut groves, filling the gap in local red cultural tourism offerings.

The project centers on the core concept of “carrying forward the revolutionary spirit and innovating cultural expression.” It boldly breaks away from traditional narrative frameworks by adopting the novel art form of “live-action cinematic painting.” This approach brings the story of the Red Detachment of Women to life, transforming it from the pages of historical texts into a tangible, immersive cultural feast.
For our grandparents, this performance serves as an emotional anchor to rekindle revolutionary memories and commemorate the revolutionary era. For our parents, it offers a cultural experience to revisit classic stories and savor the spirit of the times. For the youth, it represents a dialogue of their generation to activate their revolutionary heritage and draw spiritual strength.
To this day, the large-scale live performance “The Red Detachment of Women” at Coconut Sea is far more than just a show—it is a tangible journey through a tumultuous era. Since its premiere, the production has staged over 2,000 performances, attracting more than 3.5 million audience members and earning widespread acclaim. Recognized for its exceptional quality, the project has been honored with multiple accolades, including National 4A-Level Tourist Attraction, National Study-Travel Base, and Sanya Patriotic Education Base. It continues to receive extensive coverage and recognition from mainstream media outlets such as CCTV and People’s Daily Online.
As one of Sanya, Hainan’s cultural landmarks, the live-action performance of The Red Detachment of Women serves not only as a vital showcase for Hainan’s cultural tourism image but also embodies the revolutionary spirit deeply rooted in this land. Moving forward, the production will align with Hainan’s Free Trade Port development and the 15th Five-Year Plan, continuously delving into local culture to tell Hainan’s stories in more compelling ways. It will demonstrate cultural confidence, deliver more awe-inspiring immersive experiences for audiences, ensure the enduring legacy of revolutionary ideals transcends generations, and let the revolutionary spirit shine brilliantly in the new era.

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