The Railway to Tibet, a dance theater production from Beijing, is set to compete for the Wenhua Award during the 12th China Art Festival. [Photo by Wang Xiaojing/for chinadaily.com.cn]

The festival is organized by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and takes place every three years. [Photo by Wang Xiaojing/for chinadaily.com.cn]

The Wenhua Award, the country’s top prize issued by the government, will be announced at the end of the festival on June 2. [Photo by Wang Xiaojing/for chinadaily.com.cn]

The original dance drama is commissioned by the National Center for Performing Arts (NCPA) and jointly produced by the NCPA and the Beijing Dance Drama and Opera Theater. [Photo by Wang Xiaojing/for chinadaily.com.cn]

Two performances will take place at the Poly Grand Theatre in Shanghai on May 24 and 25. [Photo by Wang Xiaojing/for chinadaily.com.cn]

The play tells a story about the construction of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway where engineers and workers had to overcome great geographical and climate challenges. [Photo by Wang Xiaojing/for chinadaily.com.cn]

The play features the strong emotional ties between the civilians, Chinese army soldiers and the local Tibetans involved in the project. [Photo by Wang Xiaojing/for chinadaily.com.cn]

The China Art Festival is the largest and most prominent celebration of arts and culture in the country. [Photo by Wang Xiaojing/for chinadaily.com.cn]