Ding Wei, director of dance drama Tsangyang Gyatso

He preferred ordinary clothes rather than a monk's long robes, and typically meandered through Lhasa's streets, talking to many people.

Ding says: "When I visited Potala Palace, I couldn't help wondering about the life of Tsangyang Gyatso there. He was just a young man who loved nature and hoped to live an ordinary life."

To create authentic Tibetan music and dance, Ding led the production team earlier this year to visit the northwestern provinces of Qinghai and Gansu, where many Tibetans live.

They went to Luqu county of the Gannan Tibetan autonomous prefecture in Gansu to watch a Guozhuang dance contest, a major Tibetan folk show, which has nearly 2,000 people dancing in a circle.

In September, they went to Lhasa, visiting Potala Palace, where they saw a grand ceremony, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the region's founding.

"We were excited to enjoy Tibetan dances and music, which are rarely seen. We also borrowed some of those elements for this dance drama," says Ding.

Three young actors were chosen from hundreds of candidates to play the role of Tsangyang Gyatso as a teenager and young adult in the show.

Dancer Huang Chendi, 20, is one of them. Having never closely seen Tibetan communities before, he stayed at the Labrang Monastery, in Xiahe county, in the Gannan Tibetan autonomous prefecture, for weeks, living with Tibetan monks.

Fei Bo, resident choreographer of the National Ballet of China, was invited to choreograph the dance drama. Known for his collaboration with famous dancers, such as Tamara Rojo, lead ballerina and artistic director of London's Royal Ballet, where his choreography include Hamlet, Fei says he is fascinated by the story of Tsangyang Gyatso.

After its debut performance in Beijing on Dec 27, the dance drama will tour the rest of the country next year.

Contact thew riter at chennan@chinadaily.com.cn

If you go

7:30 pm, Dec 27-29. Theater of China Ethnic Song and Dance Ensemble, 19, Zhongguancun Nandajie (south street), Haidian district, Beijing. 010-5705-2555.