Chinese Culture Week launched in Edinburgh

"Echoes of Time: Chinese Culture Week" debuted as a flagship event of the ongoing 2025 Edinburgh Festival Fringe that will last until Aug. 25. 

"Echoes of Time: Chinese Culture Week," a flagship event of the ongoing Edinburgh Festival Fringe, was launched earlier this month. Photos by Gong Wei

Co-hosted by Intercultural Connections Initiative and QZ Global Performance, this cultural exchange activity featured opera and musical performances, UNESCO-recognized intangible cultural heritage exhibitions and interactive cultural bazaars — fostering artistic dialogue between China and the international community.

Huang Xiaoshu (L), secretary-general of Shenzhen Vitalization Symphony Development Foundation, presents Edinburgh Lord Provost Robert Aldridge with an original vinyl record titled “Bougainvillea” as a gift to celebrate the 6th anniversary of the sister-city relationship between Shenzhen and Edinburgh at the opening ceremony of the culture week. 

At the opening ceremony of the culture week earlier this month, Huang Xiaoshu, secretary-general of Shenzhen Vitalization Symphony Development Foundation, presented Edinburgh Lord Provost Robert Aldridge with an original vinyl record titled “Bougainvillea” as a gift to celebrate the 6th anniversary of the sister-city relationship between Shenzhen and Edinburgh. The cover of the vinyl record "Bougainvillea."

Produced by the C Music Center and performed by the Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra, the Beluga Boys’ Choir and the Little Lark Girls’ Choir, the vinyl features symphonic orchestration blended with children's chorus, symbolizing Shenzhen's pioneering spirit and Edinburgh's artistic heritage. 

The lyrics were written by Keith Chan Siu-kei, a Chinese pop song lyricist and record producer from Hong Kong. Chan Wing Wah, Associate Dean of the School of Music, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, was the composer. 

At the festival, children's troupes from Shenzhen performed three musicals: “Mulan: The Brave Heart,” “Lantern Boy” and “Monkey King.“ Lord Provost Robert Aldridge attended the "Monkey King" performance as an audience Aug. 5, and praised the vinyl record as an extraordinary musical gift. He applauded the performance, saying the children's angelic voices moved him deeply.

“We eagerly welcome more Shenzhen artists to Edinburgh," said Aldridge.

Huang (1st L), Aldridge (2nd L) and performers of the musical "Monkey King" pose for a group photo. 

Since the launch of Chinese Culture Week, it has attracted wide attention on social media, with views on Sina Weibo surpassing 100 million, demonstrating immense public interest in this cultural exchange.  

As a key cultural initiative since Shenzhen and Edinburgh forged sister-city ties in May 2019, this event is built upon prior exchanges between the two cities.

During its 2024 U.K. tour, the Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra performed in Edinburgh and Shenzhen Mayor Qin Weizhong delivered video congratulations for Edinburgh's 900th anniversary and fifth anniversary of sister-city relationship.

During the 2024 China (Shenzhen) International Cultural Industries Fair, Robert Aldridge visited Shenzhen and invited the foundation to organize artists to attend the Edinburgh Festival. 

Leveraging Shenzhen's technological innovation and Edinburgh's strengths in finance, creative industries, bilateral cooperation in technology and trade has significantly enhanced since the establishment of sister-city relationship. 

The original Chinese musical “Mulan: The Brave Heart” by Shenzhen Senior High School Group