Guangzhou artists honor the Silk Road
Famed musician Fang Jinlong plays ancient melodies at the event's launch ceremony.
A group of artists from Guangzhou are traveling from China’s famous southern trading city to Sri Lanka and then on to Malaysia and Cyprus. The journey will not only commemorate the ancient Maritime Silk Road, but also aims to promote the 21st century Maritime Silk Road through cultural exchanges.
“It is the first of many upcoming trips carrying local culture to many more countries along the ancient route, hoping to initiate international dialogue, co-development, and interactive multicultural platforms,” the organizer of the event, Lu Zhiqiang, who is also the director of Guangzhou’s Cultural, Radio, TV, Press and Publication Bureau, told Shanghai Daily.
This historic route that links China to Southeast Asia and Europe has been a crucial network for the import and export of Chinese goods for more than 2,000 years. Chinese relics, ancient silk, porcelain and coins have all been discovered in the Middle East, South Asia and the horn of Africa, proving the significant connection between China and these parts of the world.
The cultural trip includes a variety of artistic displays, from an exhibition of ancient Guangzhou relics, to performances from central elements of the city’s culture, such as Yueju opera, a puppet show, and the Chinese string instrument pipa, among others.
The city, which was the starting point of the ancient route, is in the process of proposing to nominate the Maritime Silk Road as a new UNESCO World Heritage Site, including 24 other cities like Shanghai and Ningbo.
