All the world's a stage

Actresses from the Ulan Muqir troupe of Sonid Right Banner in Xiliin Gol League, Inner Mongolia autonomous region, perform for herdsmen in a yurt in November. Nomadic families living in remote areas have limited access to cultural events. WANG KAIYAN/XINHUA

Traveling troupes of entertainers give audiences in remote grassland areas shows to remember, Deng Zhangyu reports.

As Guo Liru and her troupe approached a village in a remote area in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region last month, the crackle of firecrackers erupted in the air. This was a signal to the villagers that a troupe had arrived, and a call to gather and watch their performance.

Two decades ago, when Guo journeyed to remote grassland pastures, the signal was delivered in even more picturesque fashion. Residents would ride out a day in advance of their arrival, galloping from yurt to yurt to spread word to each nomadic family: "Come tomorrow, the performance is not to be missed".

Regardless of the method of notification, a crowd of enthusiastic spectators still awaits Guo and her troupe, and the 59-year-old singer's passion for her audience remains unchanged.

She is a performer with one of the Ulan Muqir troupes of the Inner Mongolia autonomous region. Meaning "red bud "in Mongolian, the Ulan Muqir troupes originated in this vast grassland. They travel from one encampment to another, performing for herders who live in remote regions.

"No matter how far the distance, we make our way to the same pastures to perform each year. Our audiences are like family to us," Guo says.

After each performance, elderly women often kiss her on the head and invite her to return the following year. With the grassland as its stage and the vast sky as its backdrop, the troupe's repertoire includes singing, dancing and performing small skits, all inspired by the daily lives of local people.