A tribute to resilience

Anchoring his score in a "dual core" — the activation of artifacts and the dialogue between past and present — Qian combined the deep timbres of ancient instruments like the bianzhong (bronze bells) and the xun (Chinese vessel flute) with the power of a modern symphony orchestra.

"When we evoke the grandeur of the Qin army, you hear the solemn bronze bells reinforced by brass," he says. "When we show the labor of craftsmen, the plaintive tones of the xun merge with plucked strings to convey warmth and devotion."

Qian also infused modern techniques, using layered electronic textures to conjure the sense of "a fingerprint crossing millennia".Rhythmic precision supports the acrobatics: Rapid drumming mirrors juggling sequences, while soaring melodies rise as performers scale poles and balance on them at seemingly impossible heights.

"Music does not just decorate the technique," Qian says. "It breathes with it. The audience should feel that every leap and spin is carried by sound."

Technology amplifies this dialogue between past and present. Projections and lighting transform scattered fragments into living warriors, according to Fu, who invited veteran stage designer Liang Xiqing to join the production.