Today marks the beginning of the annual Shoton Festival, the second biggest celebration in Tibet Autonomous Region after the Tibetan New Year. One of the highlights of the festival in Lhasa is the musical 'Princess Wencheng,' which tells a tale that's more than 1,000 years old.

One of the highlights of the festival in Lhasa is the musical 'Princess Wencheng,' which tells a tale that's more than 1,000 years old.

A drama of epic proportions! As a symbol of peace, the Tang Dynasty princess Wencheng traveled thousands of miles to marry Tibetan patriarch Songtsen Gampo to strengthen ties between Tibetans and Han in 640 AD.

To better portray the story, the stage setting, costumes, language and music were designed to be as authentic as possible.

"It's amazing! Every detail on the stage makes me better understand this story," said an audience.

Renowned artist Wang Li played Princess Wencheng in the version presented at the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing. She was glad to reprise her role this time around.

"I've known the story of Princess Wencheng since I was young, so I feel connected to the role," she said.

The show premiered last August, but changes were made in April, to include more aspects of Tibetan culture and shorten the production by 15 minutes.

This version also employs latest technology for special effects, as well as props including a massive 70 cows and 30 horses on stage.

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