This was once the hometown of the Two Qiaos. The Records of the Three Kingdoms records that “Zhou Yu married the younger Qiao.” A thousand years ago, the sisters were said to have washed silk and played here by the water. A thousand years later, this place has become a meeting point of romance and devotion to home and country.

Today, history that once lay quiet is awakened by light and shadow. The immersive waterborne night-tour performance Lakebound Dreams: Xiao Qiao’s Wedding is now staged on Xuehu. Built around the lake’s natural scenery, the production transforms the water into a live-performance stage. Blending youthful Huangmei Opera with modern musical theater, and using sound, lighting, projection, and other stage technologies, it retells an epic of the Three Kingdoms through six acts.

Story Highlights

• First Encounter: On a painted boat, Xiao Qiao appears as fresh and graceful as a white lotus, while Zhou Yu cuts a heroic figure. In one turning glance, affection quietly begins to grow.

• Red Cliffs: Dark clouds press over the river as the flames of war shroud Red Cliffs, and armor gleams coldly in the night. Zhou Yu stands aboard a warship, waiting for the east wind that will turn the tide. By Xuehu, Xiao Qiao plays the zither and sings, sending her prayers across the distance.

When Zhou Yu calls Xiao Qiao’s name with deep feeling and she turns back to meet his gaze, love between two people and their shared devotion to the land become one. This is not only a legend of romance, but also the story of a woman’s growth and awakening in a time of war.

When the performance ends, the crowd gradually disperses, and Xuehu returns to stillness.

Performance Information

• Location: Xuehu Pier, Xuehuli Historic and Cultural District, Qianshan, Anhui

• First performance: 19:20–20:20

• Second performance: 20:50–21:50

Climb Tianzhu by Day, Tour Xuehu by Night. This autumn, come to Xuehu—listen to a story from a thousand years ago and witness a love that travels across time.