Shen Yun Collections‘ Latest Giclée Print: Song of Purity and Peace

"Even a small town held ten thousand households." 

In his poem “Remembering the Past,” Du Fu looks back on the prosperity of Emperor Xuanzong's reign during the Tang Dynasty. This was the dynasty that brought art, culture, and the economy to their height. 

Shen Yun once brought the story of Emperor Xuanzong and his lover Lady Yang to life in a captivating dance drama. Following the same story, in 2025, another dance drama, Li Bai, brought to life onstage the great poet Li Bai, who once wrote the poem “Qingping Diao” for Lady Yang:

The clouds like swirling clothes, the flowers like a face,

The Spring breeze brushes railings, dewdrops condensate.

If you don’t see her at the mountaintop arrayed,

Meet there beneath the moon at the terrace known as Jade.

Shen Yun Collections' giclée print “Song of Purity and Peace” features a scene from Shen Yun's Li Bai. The artwork recreates the Tang elegance seen on stage and carries viewers back to the flourishing age of Tang poetry and music.

A full moon hangs in a deep blue sky scattered with stars, cradled by a few wisps of white clouds. Beneath the moonlight, a palace garden quietly unfolds.

On either side of the painting, palace halls with golden, multi-tiered eaves face each other, and rows of lanterns beneath the eaves glow a warm yellow. Tang architecture has long been known for its grandeur and dignified proportions, and these halls carry that same majesty. The carvings on the pillars and railings are delicate and ornate. In the octagonal pavilion on the right, a golden crane lifts its head and spreads its wings; on the left, a golden ceremonial cauldron stands solid and stately. A golden balustrade runs along the water's edge at the center, and the lake reflects the moonlight. In the distance, green mountains stretch toward the horizon, veiled in a light mist.

At the center of the courtyard, Emperor Xuanzong, dressed in a bright yellow brocade robe, dances with arms outstretched and one leg raised behind him. Beside him, Lady Yang in a flowing orange-gold gown, extends her arms gracefully, and the two move in harmony. On each side, eight court ladies in pink Tang attire stand in lines, their long pale sleeves falling or lifting like petals just beginning to open, framing the pair at the center. The people of the Tang took great care in their dress, favoring flowing, generous silhouettes and vivid colors, and the costumes in the painting reflect that same splendor.

The deep blue of the night sky contrasts vividly with the gold of the palaces and lanterns. In the foreground, pink and violet blossoming trees, blue-violet hydrangeas, and peonies in full bloom surround the courtyard, while a lush green pine branch reaches into the upper right corner. Hailed as the "king of flowers," the peony symbolized wealth, grace, and nobility to the people of the Tang, and it was also Lady Yang's favorite flower. The flowers in the foreground, the dancers in the middle ground, and the lake and mountains beyond recede layer by layer, giving the scene a sense of openness and depth.

Look closely, and many details invite you to linger: the circular patterns in the paving stones, a winding stone path that curves through the courtyard, the soft glow of palace lanterns and stone lamps, and the fine carvings along the balustrades.

Viewing this artwork in stillness brings a sense of grace and calm. The moonlight is clear, the lanterns are warm, the dancers move with ease, and the flowers bloom quietly; everything is in harmony and at peace. The splendor of the High Tang unfolds gently in the night, and the heart settles along with it.

Placed in your home, this piece is more than a painting of a Tang palace garden. It becomes a space that invites you to pause, gaze, and imagine. Each viewing may reveal something new: the outline of clouds in the moonlight, the curve of a court lady's sleeve, the mist among the distant mountains, or the varied shades among the peonies.

As you take in the scene, you may recall Li Bai's line, "Meet there beneath the moon at the terrace known as Jade," and imagine what the moonlight, music, and dance of that night might have been like. Or you might wonder: if you stood in this moonlit courtyard yourself, which part of the scene would you most want to linger in?

The answer is left for each viewer to discover.

Styling Tips

“Song of Purity and Peace” has a horizontal composition with rich layers from foreground to background. It suits the wall above a living room sofa, the main wall of a dining room, or a study, where it can become the focal point of the space.

The painting pairs deep blue with gold. Against understated off-white or light gray walls, with warm wood furniture and soft, warm lighting, its moonlight and lantern glow appear even richer. To carry the grace of the Tang into the room, you can add peony arrangements or Tang-inspired accents that echo the artwork.