Web Exclusive

Festival planned to protect folk culture better

By Ma Chenguang (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2010-04-21 17:26

HEFEI – Anhui will launch the province's first folk cultural gala to showcase the essence of Chinese folklore and to create a new cultural platform featuring local characteristics.

The province's director of Culture Department Yang Guo said the First Anhui Folk Culture Festival, to be held between May 7 and 9 will showcase 10 folk performances at the opening ceremony in southern Tongling city.

During the event, visitors will also have the chance to see 30 local operas, listen to 30 different types of local music, and view 30 kinds of local craftsmanship as well as sample 50 types of local products, Yang noted at a news conference here on Tuesday.

Tongling's Party secretary Yao Yuzhou confirmed at the conference that the gala, which will help protect local folklore by displaying its heritage and encouraging people to take an interest in it, will continue in the future. It will also be used as a cultural event in areas around the Yangtze River delta.

Tongling Vice-Mayor Zhang Mengsheng said that a folk culture forum will also be opened during the festival, co-sponsored by Anhui Provincial Culture Department and Tongling city.

Feng Jicai, dubbed China's No.1 in protecting Chinese folklore who acts as president of China Society for the Study of Folk Literature and Art, will take part in the seminar with other experts, Zhang said.

Yang Guo also said that Anhui is ready to build a "Hundred Opera City" later in a bid to protect local operas in the province. The province is famous for its Huangmei Opera, which was formed in the 18th century when Chinese local operas were flourishing.

Li Jingming, Tongling's publicity chief, reiterated their best wish is to let people be part of the impressive culture and at the same time, to provide better cultural services for visitors throughout the festival.

Tongling, located on the banks of the Yangtze, is a beautiful mountain city. The mountain is well-known in the past for its bronze production using ample copper and tin deposits.