Pingyao crowds applaud Shanxi folk musical

"The Taihang Wet Nurse", a musical produced by the Kaihuadiao Art Group from Zuoquan county, played Aug 4 and 5 in the ancient city of Pingyao, Northern China's Shanxi province.

The drama tells the story of the women feeding babies whose parents are fighting in the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression. The wet nurses in Taihang Mountain sacrifice themselves to raise the younger generation of the People's Liberation Army. The drama incorporates folk songs of Zuoquan county, the location of a famous battlefield during the war.

Scene: Wet nurses hold the babies in their arms. Aug 4, Pingyao, Shanxi province [Photo/pyonline.net]

A group dances during the drama. Aug 4, Pingyao, Shanxi province [Photo/pyonline.net]

Scene: PLA soldiers salute. Aug 4, Pingyao, Shanxi province [Photo/pyonline.net]

Scene: a wet nurse leads a group of dancers. Aug 4, Pingyao, Shanxi province [Photo/pyonline.net]

"The Taihang Wet Nurse" plays in Pingyao, Northern China's Shanxi province on Aug 4. [Photo/pyonline.net]

Pingyao audiences applaud for the actors, in Pingyao, Shanxi province, Aug 4. [Photo/pyonline.net]

All the actors are local residents without any stage training, but their engrossing performance won applause from the Pingyao audience.

The play was part of the province's 2012 drama exhibition and was recognized as one of the top three musical dramas. It gained widespread attention after its debut at the National Centre for the Performing Arts. The drama shows the unique cultural resources of Shanxi province, as well as its combination of modern art with traditional theater.