Xian: Tang Dynasty Dinner Show & 16-Course Dumpling Banquet

Dinner and Dance in Xian's Golden Age: What a Tang Dynasty Banquet Actually Looks Like

You arrive at the Shaanxi Grand Opera House for a 16-course dumpling dinner where each piece is shaped to match its filling, while Tang Dynasty dancers and musicians perform the history of Xian's golden age around you. Private transfer from your hotel is included, as are all entrance tickets and the full meal. The evening takes roughly three hours total, and you return to your hotel afterward without arranging additional transport.

Step-by-step itinerary

Tang Dynasty Dinner Show and Dumpling Banquet

• Attend Tang Dynasty dinner show
• Enjoy 16-course dumpling banquet
• Watch traditional dance and music
• Observe colorful Tang dynasty costumes

The experience

"So these dumplings are shaped like animals?" Your server nods and sets down a plate where each piece tells you what's inside before you taste it. A chicken-shaped one holds chicken, a duck-shaped one holds duck. Sixteen courses arrive this way, each one a small sculpture with a different filling, and you're sitting in the Shaanxi Grand Opera House in Xian watching dancers in silk costumes move across the stage behind the tables. This is the dumpling banquet, and it's not what you make at home. It's what the imperial court ate, or something close enough that the difference doesn't matter when you're actually there.

The Tang Dynasty show runs while you eat, which sounds chaotic but works: the performance fills the space around you without demanding you stop. Dancers in elaborate robes move through scenes that show what made Tang dynasty Xian the richest, most powerful city in the world at the time. The music is live, the costumes are detailed enough that you notice new colors each time you look up from your plate, and the whole thing has the feeling of being let into something old and specific rather than a show designed for tourists. Your guide (or the staff, depending on the package) explains what you're watching without talking over it. The performance runs through the evening, so you're not rushing through either the food or the spectacle.

Private transfer means you don't navigate the city or wait for a group. The driver picks you up from your hotel and brings you back after, which matters if you're tired or traveling with luggage. Xian's a sprawling city, and the opera house sits in a particular corner of it. The whole experience takes the evening, so plan accordingly if you have other plans that night. Dinner starts around 6 or 7 depending on the season, and the show runs roughly two hours. Everything is included: the meal, the tickets, the transport. You show up at your hotel at the arranged time, and the rest is handled.

What’s included

Your evening includes a 16-course dumpling banquet dinner, private hotel transfer from and back to your accommodation, entrance tickets to the Tang Dynasty Show at the Shaanxi Grand Opera House, and the full performance running during your meal.

Options for this experience

3 options

VIP Show ticket, plus transferUp to 8 people · Guide in English · 18:00Lasts 1 hour: includes a VIP Show ticket and a private round-trip transfer. Our driver handles the round-trip transfer between the theater and the hotel. Pickup is included

Tang Dynasty Dinner Show, including private transferUp to 8 people · Guide in English · Available from 17 Oct 2027Lasts 2 hours. Private transfer; pickup is included

Ticket only for the dinner showUp to 1 people · Guide in English · 18:00Lasts 2 hours: offers Dinner Show ticket reservations without private transfer. Dumpling banquet: features 14 different kinds of dumplings, each with its own unique shape and filling. Pickup is included

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 18:00

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (7 to 88 years) · Child (4 to 6 years): free · Infant (under 4): free

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 11 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 9 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Lily's Private Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to eat something specific to Xian and see the city's history without arranging separate transport or tickets: the private pickup and fixed schedule remove the logistics, leaving you free to focus on the meal and the performance.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 6 years): free; Infant (under 4): free.

What exactly is a dumpling banquet?

A 16-course meal where each dumpling is hand-shaped to represent its filling: chicken dumplings shaped like chickens, duck dumplings shaped like ducks, and so on. It's based on imperial court cuisine from the Tang Dynasty.

Do I have to watch the show while eating?

Yes. The Tang Dynasty performance runs during dinner, so you eat and watch simultaneously. The show doesn't interrupt the meal. It runs in the background.

Is the private transfer included?

Yes. Hotel pickup and return are included in the package. The driver collects you at an agreed time and brings you back after the show.

How long does the whole experience take?

Roughly three hours from pickup to return, including travel time to and from your hotel. The dinner and show itself runs about two hours.

Can I request dietary changes?

Yes. Advise any dietary requirements when you book, and the restaurant will work with you on the dumpling fillings.

Is it wheelchair accessible?

Yes. The Shaanxi Grand Opera House and all areas are wheelchair accessible, and transportation is adapted for wheelchairs.

Do I need to know anything about Tang Dynasty history to enjoy this?

No. The performance is visual and the staff explains what you're watching. You don't need background knowledge to follow it.