While the whole world is guessing what Zhang Yimou will present at the Olympics opening ceremony, the director's latest real-life show Impression West Lake is running every night over the West Lake, a famous scenery spot at Hangzhou in East China's Zhejiang province.

The lake covers 6 sq km and contains some of Hangzhou's most famous historic and scenic places.

Directed by Zhang and his two assistant directors, Wang Chaoge and Fan Yue, the show features local legends such as the tale of the White Snake and brings to life the rich flavor of the Southern Song Dynasty which took Hangzhou as the capital some 900 years ago.

World-acclaimed Japanese composer and instrumentalist Kitaro composed the score, and the popular singer Zhang Liangying performs the theme song Rain. It took three years for Zhang and his team to finish the show, which premiered in March.