With the 2024 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) being held, on September 12, the high-profile "Grand Performances in Beijing - Cultural Tour of Beijing Opera" Special Exhibition was unveiled at Shougang International Conference Center, Hall 1 of Shougang Park.
In the exhibition area, the full moon of the Mid-Autumn Festival hangs high in the sky. The moonlight is faintly visible against a background of gauze curtain, reflecting the harmonious natural beauty of Chinese aesthetics. Under the moonlight, Photo Exhibition of Mei Lanfang's Overseas Cultural Exchanges, "Cultural Tour of Beijing Opera - Drink with the Season" health drink area, the exploration area of intangible cultural heritage and the exhibition area of cultural and creative products of Beijing Opera all fully unfold their charm. The cross-boundary integration of multiple formats, interactive experience of science and technology, and a "one-stop" Beijing Opera themed immersive experience space that is visible, audible and interactive are sure to bring the visitors successive surprises.
The Special Exhibition this year coincided with the Mid-Autumn Festival. The shadows of the gapricot trees and osmanthus trees intertwine under the moonlight, creating a dreamlike atmosphere, and actors from the department of Beijing Opera and Kunqu Opera of the National Academy of Chinese Opera displayed their beautiful figures in The Drunken Beauty and The Goddess Chang'e's Fly to the Moon, both classic plays of Mei School. What is unique is that the installation allows for 360-degree panoramic viewing. With ingenious design from every angle, visitors can appreciate different scenes as their pace moves. As a visitor Ms. Zhao comments, such an atmosphere allows visitors to calm down and immerse themselves in the beautiful "Peking Opera space".
Photo Exhibition of Mei Lanfang's Overseas Cultural Exchanges are specially set up to commemorate the 130th anniversary of Mr. Mei Lanfang's birth. Presented in the form of a large film more than 20 meters long slowly unfolding around the venue, it boasts precious video materials and detailed text introduction that lead the audience through time and space to get a glimpse of the brilliant moments of Mr. Mei Lanfang's overseas performance. From Japan, the United States to the Soviet Union and North Korea, each visit of Mr. Mei Lanfang was a wonderful display of Chinese culture. With the help of new technologies such as NFC, visitors can break through the one-way information transmission of traditional exhibitions, choose to listen to the classic Peking Opera pieces of the Mei School, and have a "face-to-face dialogue" with Peking Opera masters in the changing times.
There is also the vivid picture of traditional culture integrating into modern life. "Cultural Tour of Beijing Opera - Drink with the Season", currently popular among young people, is a kind of health drink absorbing Chinese concept of season and the essence of traditional Chinese medicine, which is co-launched by the new oriental health drink brand Shunshi'eryin and the Cultural Tour of Beijing Opera, as a relevant person in charge introduces.
The exploration area of intangible cultural heritage is an interactive space specially designed for the visitors, where they can get close to the intangible cultural heritage projects such as Yangliuqing New Year Paintings, Beijing Opera facial masks, gold lacquer inlay, Beijing shadow play, velvet bird (velvet flower), origami, and facial makeup. All of them will keep the audience fully entertained.
The exhibition area of cultural and creative products is also full of highlights. With its oversized appearance and bright color, the Beijing-Opera-themed product "xianyanbao (conspicuous bag)" is so prevalent in the CIFTIS that many visitors find it difficult to even get one. The "NFC"-supported refrigerator sticker takes the shape of a traditional vinyl record, and a melodious Peking Opera song will play when you gently attach the phone on it. Every year, the "Beijing Opera seal" of CIFTIS will be a buzz word on the social media. The gradient seal this year combines many buzz words of Beijing Opera into the two Chinese characters "Beijing Opera" (京剧). The hollow design of the paper makes it an ideal "frame" for photo-shooting, which is inspired by the beautiful frame of the classical Chinese garden.
According to the relevant person in charge, a number of supporting events will also be held during the exhibition. The video series of "Cultural Tour of Beijing Opera" to commemorate the 130th anniversary of Mei Lanfang's birth, which was shot successively in Shougang Park, Beihai Park and Mutianyu Great Wall, will be launched here and released on mainstream media platforms around the world.
