Arts Festival Promotes Silk Road Spirit

"We hope that the Maritime Silk Road International Arts Festival will become an important platform for the inheritance and promotion of the Silk Road spirit and for building the cultural Silk Road," said Wang Xudong, director of the Palace Museum, at the opening ceremony of the festival, the fifth of its kind, in Quanzhou, Fujian Province, on December 8, 2023.

"We aim to engage in comprehensive, multilevel, and broad cultural and artistic exchanges and cooperation with more countries and regions, and build a bridge that fosters mutual understanding and connections among people," Wang added.

The ceremony featured a captivating array of performances, including singing, dancing, traditional opera, acrobatics, and musical drama presented by international and domestic artists.

The performances were linked with scenes of world heritage sites in Quanzhou, where China Central Television host Ren Luyu discussed the role of a modern-day traveler alongside prominent figures with close historical connections to the city.

"I always take great interest in cultural exchanges. During this performance I saw some traditional opera plays, especially the Gaojia Opera. I am very interested in what I saw and hope to have the opportunity to go see more of it,” said Shintaro Hirahara, who led the Organworks Dance Troupe from Japan to perform at the opening ceremony. He choreographed the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Wang Dahao, one of the performers from the Quanzhou Nanyin Inheritance Center, said: "I think this event is very creative. It comprehensively showcases Quanzhou's maritime culture, and presents the glorious millenniumold culture of Quanzhou from a global perspective."

The festival, jointly hosted by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Fujian provincial government, is held biannually in Quanzhou, a key point of the ancient Maritime Silk Road and a World Heritage Site.