At the invitation of the Seville city government, the Beijing Municipal Culture and Tourism Bureau participated in the Tourism Innovation Summit (TIS) in Seville, Spain, from October 22 to 25, 2024. This initiative, in response to the important instructions of Chinese president Xi Jinping on enhancing people-to-people exchanges between China and Spain, aims to further deepen the friendly exchanges between Beijing and the Autonomous Community of Andalusia in Spain. The Tourism Innovation Summit (TIS), a significant tourism event organized by the Spanish company NEBEXT and co-organized by the Seville city government, has designated China as the guest country partner for its 2024 edition. The Beijing Municipal Culture and Tourism Bureau's "Culture Tour of Beijing Opera" program made a spectacular debut, captivating local visitors with its array of activities including Beijing Opera performances, "Discover Beijing" culture and tourism promotion project, "Hello, Beijing" photo exhibition, immersive intangible cultural heritage experiences, and flashmob events. This comprehensive and multi-dimensional display highlighted the allure of Beijing Opera and the city's abundant cultural and tourism offerings. The "Culture Tour of Beijing Opera" is a signature project of the Beijing Overseas Cultural Exchange Center under the Beijing Municipal Culture and Tourism Bureau. Its appearance at TIS in Spain marks the project's first overseas venture and was highly commended by the event's organizers and participants.
Showcasing Beijing's Abundant Cultural and Tourism Offerings as the City Strives to Become the "Top Destination for Inbound Tourism in China"
The photo exhibition titled "Hola, Beijing" at the event was particularly captivating. It featured a selection of Beijing's iconic historical structures and emerging tourist hotspots, offering local guests not just a glimpse into the city's rich history but also a sense of its spirit of innovation and the pulse of the times.
To give visitors a better understanding of Beijing's cultural and tourism offerings, Liu Yuanxia, Director of the Art Division at the Beijing Municipal Culture and Tourism Bureau, delivered a speech at the event's leadership summit. With enthusiasm, she extended an invitation to the guests to visit Beijing and experience its unique charm for themselves. Sofía from Seville also introduced three "Culture Tour of Beijing Opera" culture and tourism products: "The Beauty of Cycling", "Beijing Opera Fun for Kids", and "The Grandeur of Beijing Opera", successfully igniting a passion for Beijing Opera among the guests, who showed a keen interest in exploring Beijing's splendor firsthand
The event featured a variety of engaging elements such as photo exhibitions, video screenings, and inbound tourism brochures, which effectively promoted Beijing's cultural and tourism offerings and sparked a desire among the guests to visit the city.
Beijing Opera Art Takes Center Stage while Intangible Cultural Heritage Dazzles International Friends
At the event, performers from the Department of Peking Opera and Kunqu Opera of the National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts brought to life the classic Mei School play "The Drunken Beauty". Beijing Opera performers portraying the character of Sun Wukong engaged with the audience, teaching them to mimic classic poses and even practice wielding the Golden Cudgel.
In celebration of Mei Lanfang's 130th birth anniversary, the Beijing Overseas Cultural Exchange Center produced a series of videos titled "Revisit to the Shougang Park", "Encounter at the Beihai Park", and "Strolling Along the Great Wall". These videos were premiered internationally during the event. Filmed at iconic Beijing landmarks with live Beijing Opera performances, the series explores the in-depth integration of Beijing Opera with tourism, aiming to further boost inbound tourism to Beijing.
The guests were also fascinated by the Beijing Opera-themed intangible cultural heritage projects. Lang Jiaziyu, a third-generation inheritor of the renowned "Dough Figurine Lang" from Beijing, showcased how a simple lump of dough could be turned into a lifelike Beijing Opera figure with his masterful craftsmanship. Yang Yue, a paper-cutting artist and an inheritor of this traditional art form, who was born in the 1990s, presented her Beijing Opera-themed paper-cuttings. She transformed plain red paper into vivid character portraits, much to the amazement of the guests. The Imperial Kitchen, embodying the essence of the Qing Dynasty's imperial cuisine, delighted visitors with traditional Chinese pastries inspired by Beijing Opera, in collaboration with the "Culture Tour of Beijing Opera". Wang Shang, the inheritor of this esteemed brand, presented a live pastry-making demonstration, treating guests to a sumptuous culinary experience.
When Beijing Opera Meets Flamenco: Celebrating the Mutual Learning among Civilizations through Innovative Flashmob
Beijing and Seville, both ancient cities steeped in artistic heritage, with Seville being the cradle of Flamenco dance. The "Culture Tour of Beijing Opera" event highlighted the charm of both Beijing Opera and Flamenco, engaging with the local community. The Flashmob, a straightforward and visual medium, illustrated the meeting of Chinese and Spanish cultures through exchange and mutual appreciation.
The "Culture Tour of Beijing Opera" overseas promotional event was a grand cultural and tourism exchange and a vivid symbol of the friendship between China and Spain. Through diverse forms of presentation, it allowed the world to experience the unique allure of different cultures, thus contributing to the dialogue and interaction among global civilizations.
