The Red River Valley folk dance is based on the 1997 film of the same title. The film was based on the book "Bayonets to Lhasa" by Peter Fleming.
Both the book and film tell the story of a young Chinese woman who, in 1904, joined with her Tibetan rescuer to fight against a British invasion.
The dance show made its debut in China in 2004. It earned over 3 million yuan in its first year on stage. The show features folk dances from both China and Tibet.
In 2006, the Singing and Dancing Troupe of Wuxia recorded a 92-minute video of the dance show.
In 2009, the show celebrated its 182nd live performance. It had, at that time, earned more than 13 million yuan, and had toured more than 20 Chinese cities.