HK to host first Chinese Culture Festival

Scenes from the dance drama “Five Stars Rising in the East.” File photos

The Leisure and Cultural Services Department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has announced that the first Chinese Culture Festival will be held from June to September.

During the program preview of the Chinese Culture Festival 2024 at the Hong Kong Cultural Center last week, Yeung Yun-hung, secretary for culture, sports and tourism, expressed that Hong Kong’s unique blend of Eastern and Western cultures and extensive international network positioned it ideally for such initiatives.

He said that the festival aims to showcase the richness and profundity of Chinese culture through a series of diverse performing arts projects and related activities, allowing both residents and tourists to experience and appreciate Chinese culture. The event seeks to promote patriotism, enhance national identity among citizens, and contribute to the enduring success of the “one country, two systems” principle.

The inaugural Chinese Culture Festival will feature a rich array of programs, including a Chinese opera festival, locally acclaimed works recognized by the National Arts Fund, cultural performances by artistic organizations, film screenings, exhibitions, and lectures.

To provide students with more opportunities to fully appreciate the essence of Chinese culture, special events and school tours have been planned to broaden their understanding of Chinese culture.

The opening performance of the festival will feature the dance drama “Five Stars Rising in the East” by the Beijing Dance Drama and Opera. Inspired by a Han Dynasty (202 B.C.-A.D. 220) silk brocade armguard excavated from a national first-level cultural relic in Xinjiang along the ancient Silk Road, this performance aims to revitalize the aesthetics of the Han Dynasty and the cultural style of the Western Regions.

Through captivating dance, music, costumes, and stage design, the show will convey the profound cultural heritage represented by the precious artifacts, expressing the enduring solidarity of the Chinese nation over millennia.

The Chinese opera festival will showcase eight performances covering various regional Chinese opera styles. Acclaimed troupes and winners of the Plum Blossom Award will gather in Hong Kong to demonstrate the unique charm of Chinese opera.

Furthermore, each year the Chinese Culture Festival will spotlight a specific city, with Shanghai being the focus of the inaugural edition, highlighting the distinctive cultural allure of the Shanghai style through three unique projects.

The Leisure and Cultural Services Department stated that in addition to the performing arts programs, the first Chinese Culture Festival will also feature free exhibitions and activities across Hong Kong.