OTTAWA, July 13 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese dance drama whose story based on the 24 solar terms of the traditional Chinese lunar calendar was well received by the audience in the Canadian city of Ottawa.

Blooming of Time, staged by Beijing Modern Dance Company at Algonqin Theater on Friday, tells the stories of creatures throughout the course of the four seasons.

The 24 solar terms, based on the sun's position in the zodiac, were created by farmers in ancient China to guide the farming activities. It is seen a reflection of the philosophical and aesthetical thinking of the Chinese people.

Chinese Ambassador to Canada Lu Shaye referred to the performance as an important event in China-Canada cultural exchanges, saying it increases the mutual understanding between the two peoples.

Talking about the theme of the drama, Gao Yanjinzi, the choreographer said the cycle of life completes in a loop of sprouting, growing, blooming, harvesting, and dying, and that the rotation of the 24 solar terms is just like the blooming of time.

The Beijing Modern Dance Company is one of China's major professional modern dance companies. It has been invited to the world's most prestigious venues, such as the Opera de Paris, the Berlin House of World Cultures, and the Joyce Theater in New York.