The 2nd Beijing International Canal Arts Fest kicked off at the Grand Canal Cultural Tourism Scenic Area "Three Temples and One Pagoda" on November 22. The event used the canal as a medium to add color to the cultural and tourism exchanges between Beijing and international canal cities.

Beijing International Canal Arts Fest is an international cultural exchange brand created in Beijing in 2018. This year's second edition was hosted by the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism and the Beijing Overseas Cultural Exchange Center. During the Art Week, guests from all over the world will learn about the cultural charm of Chinese and international canals through guest discussions, Chinese and foreign cultural performances, visits of domestic canal folk, and foreign canal cultural tourism promotion.

The "Three Temples and One Pagoda" scenic spot, as the location site of the opening ceremony, is not only an embodiment of cultural relics and history and culture of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal in China, but also the northernmost point of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal. In this place of the origin of canal culture, the China Philharmonic Orchestra played well-known Chinese and foreign music. Inspired by classic elements such as folk, rock and soul music, the River Man Band composed of musicians from Brazil, Finland and the United Kingdom performed "Take Me to the River" and "Blues in the Deep River". Li Xinrong's family, singers from Beijing, brought the song "My Family near the Canal" to the audience. Chinese and foreign musicians jointly tell the coastal style of "cherishing one's owen beauty" and convey the cultural connotation that "both beauties are respected and cherished".

In front of cultural relics and monuments such as the Confucian Temple, Dacheng Hall, and Randeng Lighthouse, Chinese and foreign guests had an in-depth understanding of the long history of the Beijing section of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal. Guests from China, Panama, Thailand and Mexico also communicated face-to-face, telling stories of close cities, sharing their canal cultures, and promoting major canal "Internet celebrity check-in places".

After the launching ceremony, from December 5th to 11th, the Canal Art Week will be launched simultaneously on a number of Chinese and foreign media platforms, showcasing the unique charm of the Chinese and foreign canal cultural cities, the fireworks along the canal, and the cultural heritage of the ancient charm of the millennium canal. Overseas audiences will also learn about the historical heritage, intangible cultural heritage and humanistic style of the areas along the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal such as Kunming Lake, Shichahai, Burning Lighthouse, Tianjin Canal Xintiandi Night Market, and Wuzhen in Zhejiang through on-site interview videos.

Translator: WANG Jiahui

Reviewer: ZHANG Ruochen