As the story goes, on a misty day many years ago, Hong Song, a Manchu hunter, rescued Bai Hua, a Korean maiden, from the fearsome Tianchi, a water monster high on Changbai mountain. And so began a love that was strong enough to transcend all cultural differences.

Stories of star-crossed lovers are not new; they’re an enduring cultural phenomenon that can be found all over the world, from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet to the Punjabi folk tale of Heer and Ranjha to Jack and Rose aboard the Titanic. We all love a story where love conquers all — and we love to visit the places where it happened — as anyone who’s braved the crowds around Juliet’s balcony in Verona can tell you.

A cultural symbol

When love walks hand in hand with a sense of place, magic happens. And few places are as magical as Changbai Mountain, a cultural symbol of China’s northeastern region.

“Changbai Mountain has unique natural landscapes, a rich history, and diverse tourism resources,” explains Mr. Tao Fu, deputy general manager of Beijing Zhongshi Media Technology Co., Ltd. “However, it faces challenges: it’s vibrant by day but quiet at night, accessible yet lacking visitor engagement, and culturally rich yet under-expressed. A large-scale live performance was just the thing to energize its night economy and cultural tourism.”

That’s why “Changbai Love Song” was created to tell the story of Hong Song and Bai Hua. The first large-scale live performance in China’s three northeastern provinces brings Changbai Mountain’s history and culture to life through singing, dance, and drama, celebrating the area’s natural beauty, folklore, and traditions.

Landscape and live performance

Taking the natural contours of Changbai Mountain as inspiration, three 25m (82′) high rock walls serve as projection surfaces for the 24 Christie^® DWU19-HS 1DLP laser projectors to create stunning 3D projection mapping effects across more than 2,200 square meters (204 sq. ft). The other advanced technologies, including laser lighting, water curtain projection, 3D wire systems, and stage machinery, seamlessly blend into this mountain landscape with live performances.

But “Changbai Love Song” is more than mere performance. “This is a living expression of Changbai Mountain’s cultural identity,” says Mr. Tao Fu. “By merging art with nature, it honors history and mythology, promotes tourism and cross-cultural exchange, and reinforces cultural pride and confidence.”

But above all, he says, it celebrates love. “Our core theme is a universal emotion that adds a romantic touch to Changbai Mountain’s identity. It’s a message of enduring companionship — staying together until old age, with the mountain as a witness. Establishing ‘love’ as Changbai Mountain’s defining cultural brand.”

Call it a brand or a sense of place, “Changbai Love Song” takes rich cultural elements, including Guandong culture and Manchu and Korean folk traditions, to create a resonant cultural experience we can all share and understand. It’s an emotional connection as enduring and deep as Hong Song and Bai Hua’s love.