Recently, faculty and students from the School of Performing Arts at Beijing City University were invited to participate in the "Charming Beijing: The Great Wall, the Grand Canal, and the Central Axis Through Time and Space" international cultural exchange exhibition, organized by the Beijing Municipal Publicity Department and the Beijing Municipal Government Information Office. This event was successfully held in Berlin, Germany, and Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The purpose of this event was to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the establishment of sister city relationships between Beijing and Berlin, as well as Amsterdam. The performances were choreographed by outstanding external teacher Hou Moi and full-time teacher Ji Yingjiao, featuring students majoring in Performance (Film and Television Performance) from the School of Performing Arts.
This event aimed at further strengthening international cultural exchanges and cooperation by showcasing Beijing's world-renowned cultural heritage and the inheritance of China's fine traditional culture. Dignitaries, experts, celebrities, and figures from the arts and culture community attended the event. The rich and varied exhibition content, blending technological elements with cultural depth, was a highlight of the event, which included exhibitions on "The Great Wall and the Grand Canal Through Time and Space," works featuring Beijing's central axis, and special promotional activities for the Beijing Culture Forum.
Leveraging their professional strengths, the faculty and students of the School of Performing Arts combined traditional Peking Opera, classical dance, and modern dance to vividly recreate the historical appearances and cultural connotations of the Great Wall and the Grand Canal, two significant world cultural heritages. By integrating these performances with digital image exhibitions about the Great Wall and the Grand Canal, they brought to life dozens of splendid moments spanning Chinese history over thousands of years. This approach made the historical and cultural values of the Grand Canal and the Great Wall more tangible, three-dimensional, and comprehensive for audiences worldwide, allowing them to experience the grandeur and changes of Beijing's historical landmarks as if traveling through time and space.
The event received unanimous praise from embassy leaders, guests, and the audience present. They highly commended the content and presentation form of the exhibition. Local attendees mentioned, "This is not only a visual feast but also a cross-time cultural dialogue. I really enjoy such cultural exchange activities." Many visitors expressed hopes for more similar events in the future, showing great interest in learning more about Beijing and looking forward to visiting it personally.
The active participation and outstanding performance of the faculty and students from the School of Performing Arts in this international cultural exchange activity exemplified a new model of integrating industry, academia, and research for talent cultivation. It showcased the educational achievements and professional qualities of both the school and its members, making positive contributions to cultural exchanges and cooperation between China and the Netherlands, as well as between China and Germany. In the future, the School of Performing Arts will continue to strive towards promoting international cultural exchanges and cooperation, implementing global civilization initiatives, enhancing exchanges and mutual learning between Chinese and foreign civilizations, increasing the influence of Chinese culture, and contributing wisdom and strength towards the common progress of human civilization.
