From September 18 to 25, the launching ceremony of the 2018 China-France Teochew Culture Exchange Week was held in the 13th arrondissement of Paris, France, marking the kick-off of the one-week overseas exhibition of Teochew culture. Organized by the Publicity Department of the Teochew Municipal Party Committee and sponsored by china.com, this event is designed to practice and implement Chinese central government’s requirements on furthering and enhancing the effort in making Chinese culture go global. To push forward the outward communication of Teochew culture, it allows more people around the globe to recognize and understand Teochew culture, promotes the economic cooperation and cultural exchange between Teochew, even Guangdong and China and France and Italy, and facilitates Teochew to go global and actively involve itself in the development of Belt and Road.
Teochew Kung Fu Tea Performance in the Opening Ceremony
The launching ceremony was attended by Buon-Huong Tan, a member of parliament of France, Jérôme Coumet, the governor of the 13th arrondissement of Paris, Lu Qingjiang, the Counselor of the consulate section of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in France, Chen Haosong, the director of the Education Bureau of Teochew City, as well as Teochew representatives in France.
The 13th arrondissement of France is a gathering place of Chinese with a population of 180,000, 20% of which are Chinese. Situated in the antique yet modern Paris, the 13th arrondissement is believed to be an eyecatcher, and is nicknamed the China Town in Paris or the Hong Kong beside the Seine River. Jérôme Coumet, the governor and representative of the 13th arrondissement where the event was held, extended warm welcome to the Teochew Delegation. This exchange event is a key part of the Mid-Autumn Festival Activities in the 13th arrondissement. Jérôme Coumet said art originates in life and returns to life, and sharing culture can bring us closer. The Mid-Autumn Festival is an important Chinese festival of reunion. The government of the 13th arrondissement has organized Mid-Autumn Festival events each year for the past eight years, aiming to acquaint the French with Chinese culture and promote local residents to better blend in and develop the community by sharing culture, music, dancing and other art forms.
Teochew City is a famous national historic city, an important cradle of Teochew culture, and a cultural center in the east Guangdong region. Historically ranked as a county, a prefecture, a town and a city, Teochew was once an origin of foreign trades. Enjoying reputations such as “a state in South China”, “a coastal fairyland”, “a window of culture” and “the hometown of Chinese national art and folk art”, Teochew boasts state-level intangible cultural heritages such as Teochew music, embroidery, opera, wood carving, iron puppet and paper-cuts. As a Chinese French, Buon-Huong Tan introduced that Teochew has unique culture and profound legacy while Paris has a mass of Teochew people. This cultural performance offered by the Teochew Delegation presented a completely new impression. During the discussion with the Teochew Delegation, Buon-Huong Tan learned the details of Teochew culture publicity in recent years, and expressed his willingness to offer as much support as possible to promote Teochew culture in France, even in Europe.
Chen Haosong, the director of the Education Bureau of Teochew City and the head of the Teochew Delegation, delivered a speech in the launching ceremony. He extended his gratitude for the support offered by the 13th arrondissement, and presented a trailer – Tea of Teochew (in French) to Buon-Huong Tan and other guests as a gift to exhibit the glamour of Teochew.
A French is experiencing the process of making a ceramic pot
A master of straw painting is making a handicraft
A Teochew embroidery master is explaining the process of making costume
In the wake of the launching ceremony, present guests appreciated the on-site exhibition of Teochew handicrafts and asked masters about the heritage of Teochew handicrafts. Teochew handicrafts that bear the essence of local culture, including Teochew embroidery, Kong Fu Tea, handmade ceramic pots and straw paintings, stunned all leaders and guests present. The glamorous Teochew culture echoes with Paris, another culturally attractive international metropolis, where eastern and western cultures are perfectly mixed.
Report has it that the 2018 China-France Teochew Culture Exchange Week will be successively held in Paris and Milan. In addition to the preceding Asian-characterized music festivals, embroidery fashion shows and Teochew handicraft exhibitions, intangible cultural heritage inheritors also carry out in-depth communication with local residents about cultural exchange, Teochew image promotion and other topics, allowing overseas residents to better understand Teochew, Guangdong and China so as to improve the global reputation of Teochew, thus laying a solid foundation for the economic and social development of Teochew.
Courtesy of Yang Hongjun
Video Link: http://www.youtube.com/embed/s_BdBpBLve8
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