On Nov 6, China International Youth Exchange Center (CIYEC) held its fifth International Youth Saloon in Beijing. More than 20 international students from universities in Beijing, namely Peking University, Beijing Foreign Studies University, Beijing Language and Culture University, Beijing Film Academy and Beijing International Studies University, watched the dance drama Pingtan Impression and engaged in conversations with main actors and producers of the drama.

Pingtan Impression depicts a story originated from Pingtan, Fujian province, a city being part of the Maritime Silk Road, thus taking marine culture as its core element. The dance drama displays intangible cultural heritage and folk customs in Fujian and Taiwan province such as puppetry, cane shield exercise, lion and dragon dance and god pageant ceremony, helping international students to enhance their understanding on traditional Chinese culture. With the prototype of figures in this drama stemmed from either Fujian or Taiwan province, the legend was based on the common folk customs of the two provinces, not only displaying that cultures from both sides of the Taiwan Straits share the same root, but also embodying the Maritime Silk Road spirit of openness and inclusiveness.   

During the conversation, besides their understandings on the roles, actors and producers talked about how these roles were created based on various cultural elements and explained the cultural elements through dancing and making cultural analogies, enabling international students to understand the profound cultural meanings in each design. Ada Christine Stephanie, a student from Cameroon, said she was deeply moved by the actors’ enthusiasm for art and culture, and was amazed by the profoundness and diversity of Chinese culture. She found that though Chinese cultural elements may be similar, they can be different in terms of form and connotation.

After the conversation, the international students were invited to the backstage to take a closer look at the costumes and stage properties. They were impressed by the delicate art crafts. Guided by the actors, the students also experienced some of the movements in the drama, trying to express different emotions, feel the charm of traditional Chinese culture and know more about the Chinese spirits each movement stands for.

Fascinated by the folk custom of Fujian and Taiwan province, Dina Lorena Wu Zhong from Panama hopes that she could experience folk custom from more countries and share these experiences with her friend, further enhancing mutual learning and exchanges among cultures. Philippine student Ezra Danielle Macabeo said the drama taking culture as its core element made her feel Chinese people’s confidence in their own culture. The respect for traditional culture and pursuit of cultural innovation ensure the vitality of Chinese culture. Lee Chongyuan is a student from Malaysia, but his ancestors used to live in Fujian province. The dance drama and the conversation reminded him of similar folk cultures and customs in Malaysia. He had a better understanding of the folk customs in Fujian and Taiwan province and knew why cultures across the Taiwan Straits share the same root. “Cultures from both sides of the Taiwan Straits are intertwined with each other and are inseparable.” He said.