“Princess Wencheng,” an original Tibetan bass drum play, was chosen as a finalist in the 9th annual China Quyi Peony Award. The play incorporates the story of Princess Wencheng, a Tang dynasty princess who married a Tibetan royal, with original Chinese bass drum elements to produce a seamless and refreshing take on the art form. It is a successful new way to interpret traditional Tibetan arts.

The play was composed by Han Baoli, a senior artist from the Tianjin City Chinese Folk Art Troupe, and sung by Yang Fei, an artist from the Beijing Chinese Folk Art Troupe. The play is based on Tang dynasty history, and portrays the dramatic story of Princess Wencheng, who traveled thousands of miles to marry Songzan Gambo, a Tibetan leader. The story showcases unity of the Tibetan and Chinese people, and celebrates a theme of mutual development. The China Quyi Peony Award is China’s most prestigious award for folk art; it has honored industry professionals since 2000. This is a national award jointly established by the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles and the Chinese Folk Artists Association.