The 2023 Begonia Cultural Festival and the Begonia Poetry Event kicked off at the Former Residence of Soong Ching Ling on the afternoon of April 6. The opening ceremony was graced by the presence of Li Bin, vice chairwoman of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and chairwoman of the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation (CSCLF). Along with other guests, Li participated in a variety of activities, such as added finishing touches to paintings of begonia flowers, releasing doves of peace, and enjoying a magnificent performance. A group photo was captured to commemorate the event.
Among the distinguished guests were ambassadors Fernando Lugris of Uruguay, Palita Kohona of Sri Lanka, and Briunny Garabito of the Dominican Republic. Also in attendance were Secretary General of the ASEAN-China Centre Shi Zhongjun, and representatives from the embassies of Vietnam, Venezuela, Colombia, Japan, Singapore, Pakistan, Mongolia, Nicaragua, Myanmar, and Uzbekistan. Director-General of the Department of Asian Affairs of the Foreign Ministry Liu Jinsong, CSCLF Vice Chairpersons Wang Ning, Shen Beili and Yu Qun, Deputy Secretary General of the CSCLF and Director of the Management Centre of the Former Residence of Soong Ching Ling Li Anjin, Secretary of the Communist Party of China Beijing Xicheng District Committee Sun Shuo, and the district's deputy Party secretary Yuan Haipeng as well as its deputy mayor Sang Pengfei also attended the events.
Shi Zhongjun, and Sun Shuo respectively gave speeches on behalf of the organizers and supporting units. During her speech, Shen emphasized the importance of the Global Civilization Initiative, which calls for respect for the diversity of civilizations, advocates for common values of humanity, highly values the inheritance and innovation of civilizations, and jointly advocates robust international people-to-people exchanges and cooperation. She also stated that the CSCLF will take concrete steps to implement the initiative and contribute to the progress of human civilization. 2023 marks the 130th anniversary of the birth of Soong Ching Ling. The CSCLF will carry on her noble spirit by work with friends from around the world to build a beautiful world with lasting peace and common prosperity, making the garden of world civilizations more colorful and vibrant.
Shi Zhongjun recalled that Soong Ching Ling had visited several ASEAN countries during the 1950s and 1960s and had developed profound friendship with their leaders Shi. He acknowledged the great contribution that the CSCLF has made to the China-ASEAN people-to-people exchanges. As China and ASEAN have elevated their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership, the ASEAN-China Centre stands ready to work with all sides to build a peaceful, safe and secure, prosperous, beautiful and amicable home together.
During his speech, Sun highlighted that Xicheng district, being a core zone of the capital city, is well-known for its cultural events centered around poetry recitation. He specifically mentioned the Begonia Poetry Event, which has become an important part of the Begonia Cultural Festival since the two were held simultaneously in 2022. Sun emphasized the importance of deepening understanding about Chinese literature and boosting international cultural exchanges.
During the event, national class-A actor Lin Jin and actress Yang Qing recited five poems inspired by begonias. Zhang Lu, a musician from the China National Traditional Orchestra, played the traditional folk music piece called "Moonlight of Spring River." Additionally, the Kunqu opera "The Peony Pavilion" was staged by national class-A actor Shao Tianshuai.
The performance reached its climax with an impressive display of cultural harmony, as children from the Modern Little Teachers Art Troupe sang classic songs from a diverse range of countries including China, Japan, South Korea, Mongolia, Brunei, Cambodia, Singapore, Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam, East Timor and Cuba, exemplifying the idea of "harmony within diversity." The show came to a close with a heartwarming children's chorus "Always Together."
As the guests strolled through the garden, they marvelled at the beauty of the begonia flowers and reflected on the significance of the ancient Chinese odes dedicated to this plant.
The cultural events were highly praised by Uruguayan ambassador Fernando Lugris, who expressed sincere gratitude to the CSCLF for the wonderful experience. He said that the guests were impressed by the ancient Chinese civilization and its vitality, and found the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative and other initiatives are all inspiring and enlightening. He stressed that the Uruguayan embassy in China, along with other embassies in the country, is committed to being a partner that the CSCLF can rely on, and working together to promote cultural exchanges, boost cooperation and development, and enhance global security.
The 2023 Begonia Cultural Festival and the Begonia Poetry Event were sponsored by the CSCLF, with support from the ASEAN-China Centre and the Xicheng District People's Government of Beijing Municipality, and co-organized by the Xicheng District Culture and Tourism Bureau and the Management Centre of the Former Residence of Soong Ching Ling. In addition to the cultural performances, the festival will also include an exhibition showcasing the history of the former residence of Soong Ching Ling, a seminar on Nalan Culture, and a display of intangible cultural heritages.
(Source: Management Center of the Former Residence of Soong Ching Ling, International Cooperation and Exchange Department of CSCLF)
