In China , the historical events upon which Under
Siege are based are a staple of popular culture , giving birth to countless adaptations in opera and fiction .
Qin Shi Huang was the self-proclaimed first Emperor whose conquering of warring states allowed for the first time the formation of a unified China , but after the Qin king ’ s death a period of conflicted ensued in which rival warlords sought the ultimate seat of power . The last two standing were Xiang Yu , leader of the Western Chu dynasty , and Han leader Liu Bang , who was eventually victorious .
To much of the Western world this history is opaque , however , and in adapting the story for the stage choreographer Yang Liping is less interested in educating audiences on the turmoil of millennia gone by than in opening eyes to the potency of Chinese artistic modes that have developed over these many thousands of years .
“ The whole concept was to show a number of different traditional artforms through the performance to the international world ,” says the 58-year-old choreographer . Beyond the obvious influences of Peking opera , dance and martial displays , Under Siege is sewn through with rich evocations of Chinese culture that might not be evident upon first glance .
Take the iconic stage pictures created by the sea of dangling scissors suspended above the stage . There ’ s an immediacy to the framing that designer Tim Yip describes as “ a visual effect that reflects a dangerous reality . Thousands of pairs of sharp scissors hang above your head . If you do something wrong , they will fall down on you . This creates tension every second .”
While the visceral impact of a hovering cloud of glinting blades might speak across cultures , though , there are deeper levels of meaning to the image that make particular reference to Chinese history .
“ There was a period of time in China which was silent ,” says Yip . “ If you spoke , you risked losing your social standing , or being killed . Citizens were acutely aware of what they said . Neighbours attacked enemies with words . It still happens on the internet today .”
An additional stratum of significance to this apparently straightforward visual image comes from the important place scissors themselves hold within China ’ s artistic heritage .
“ What scissors mean may not be so direct for