Pupils of the Zhaojin Beiliang Red Army Primary School in Zhaojin town, Tongchuan, Shaanxi province, learn the history of the Communist Party of China. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Telling revolutionary stories

In 1938, several nurseries were founded in Yan'an to take care of the children of officials, soldiers and revolutionary martyrs, including Deng Lin, the daughter of Deng Xiaoping. During the decade that followed, about 5,000 children lived in these nurseries.

Yan'an Nursery, a 70-minute, four-act drama, tells a story of sacrifice and love. The performance combines music played on the local waist-drum, yangge dances and xintianyou, the traditional folk songs of northern Shaanxi.

The drama is based on true stories. The production team traveled across the country for three months to interview more than 200 people, mainly childcare workers and children who lived in the nurseries.

Produced by the Shaanxi Tourism Group, the drama premiered on July 1, 2011, and became a regular performance in Yan'an two years later. By May 3, it had been seen by more than 2.17 million people. It will soon move to a new 1,200-seat theater, about double the current capacity, with upgraded lighting and stage designs.

"Our performance has spread the precious 10-year history of Yan'an's nurseries, which was barely known by most people," said Hei Lele, who is in charge of marketing.

"Tourists will be moved by the spirit of Yan'an and the great maternal love. The story unfolds from a feminine perspective and tells how the female dean does her best to protect the children during wartime."

According to Hei, former residents of the nurseries and the children of early CPC leaders have watched the performance, with some moved to tears. He said it's important for destinations to develop performances to cater to tourists' different demands. Yan'an Nursery not only offers the audience a vivid demonstration of the city's revolutionary history via the performing arts, but also serves as a great example of patriotic education.

Li Xinjian, dean of the School of Tourism Management at Beijing International Studies University, said: "It's essential to promote Red tourism among young people, who constitute the majority of consumers of such services. We should do it in a way young people are familiar with. An innovative explanation of stories based on the historical facts is more likely to interest them."

To better develop Yan'an's economy via Red tourism, Li said it's important to make such tourism more appealing to visitors by developing high-quality attractions and improving both local services and the travel experience.

He added that the comprehensive development of "eating, housing, transport, travel, shopping and entertainment" is a must, and urged the city to make efforts to develop cultural products and Red-themed dining and accommodations.

As an example, he cited the success of the city's Red performances, whose innovative approach is popular among tourists.