The elegant figure and the grace of the peacock has been the inspiration for many dancers. But Yang Liping, famous for her vivid imitation of this beautiful creature in her dance The Spirit of the Bird, is universally regarded as the "Peacock Princess" in China.

The dance drama Dynamic Yunnan which was choreographed and directed by Yang, and in which she performed as the principal dancer won the golden prize for the best dance drama. Yang Liping herself also too won the awards for "best director" and "best principal dancer".