Southeast Asia Information Port News (www.dnyxxg.com) On July 1st, after watching a performance of the Jin Opera "The Thousand-Year-Old Guan Yu" up close in Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, teenagers from Russia high-fived and made heart shapes with Jin Opera artist Wu Lingyun, who played Guan Yu. "I only knew about the different roles of sheng, dan, jing, mo, and chou before, but seeing and hearing it with my own eyes and ears today is incredibly moving and inspiring," Natasha expressed her feelings in fluent Chinese.
From June 26th to July 3rd, the Russian-Chinese Cultural Exchange Association and the St. Petersburg Representative Office of the China Cultural Promotion Association invited relevant Russian dignitaries and teenagers to Shanxi to conduct the "World Cultural Heritage and Intangible Cultural Heritage of China along the Tea Road and Cross-border Tourism Cooperation along the Tea Road" activity.
On July 1st, the study tour group visited the Xiaojingyu Cultural Industry Park in Taiyuan to learn about the Guan Yu culture along the Tea Road. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, along the Tea Road pioneered by Shanxi merchants, Guan Yu, representing loyalty and trustworthiness, gradually spread throughout the world, and related Jin Opera, cultural relics, and other cultural elements became more widely known.
On stage, the red-faced, long-bearded "Guan Yu," wielding a large sword, stared wide-eyed, stroked his beard, and delivered a powerful and imposing performance. Below the stage, Russian teenagers either recorded the performance on their phones or clapped and cheered. After the performance, "Guan Yu" came down from the stage and interacted with the children one by one, giving high-fives, making heart shapes with his hands, and bowing. He even imprinted a "heroic flame," a symbol of bravery, between the boys' eyebrows.
"Guan Yu comes from the common people; he's down-to-earth. Although we don't speak the same language, these gestures like high-fives and heart shapes convey our enthusiasm and friendliness," said Wu Lingyun. She added that during the close interaction, she could feel the children's surprise and curiosity about the opera masks and costumes. "I hope that through performances and communication, they can understand the charm of ancient Chinese opera culture and spread this excellent traditional culture more widely."
At the youth drama education base, Wu Lingyun introduced opera culture to the study tour group and taught them how to bow and identify opera masks. Under the guidance of Russian sinologist Qi Yuan, the children drew their own opera masks. That same day, they also visited the Taiyuan Grand Guandi Temple to experience the spirit of Guan Yu.
Qiao Xiangpeng, Executive Chairman of the Russian-Chinese Cultural Exchange Association, said that Guan Yu culture is not only the domain of Shanxi merchants, but also belongs to the world. "We must innovate the ways of inheriting the spirit of Guan Yu and spread Guan Yu culture to the world." (End)
