The performance
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SISU 70th anniversary event: SISU Art Troupe on tour in Uzbekistan
29 October 2019 | By SESTA | Copyedited by Zhao Yinfen
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rom September 24 to 30, the “Wind from the East” Art Troupe of Shanghai International Studies University visited Uzbekistan. The tour was organized and supported by the Confucius Institute and the faculties of SISU, with a view to promoting the Chinese culture and improving the cooperation and communication between China and countries along the Belt and Road. It was also one of the featured activities of the 5th anniversary of the Confucius Institute of Samarkand State Institute of Foreign Languages, one of SISU’s co-founded Confucius Institutes overseas. The various singing and dancing shows demonstrated the accomplishments of contemporary Chinese art, and enhanced the local people’s understanding of Chinese culture.
Visiting the Chinese Embassy in Uzbekistan
The troupe was received cordially by Ambassador Jiang Yan at the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Uzbekistan on September 25. The ambassador not only wished a great success of the show, but also briefed the students on the similarities between Chinese and Uzbek people in terms of their agricultural civilization, long history and splendid cultural heritage, and encouraged them to experience and learn as much as possible from the Uzbek culturee.
Premiere Performance at Uzbekistan State University of World Languages
The troupe presented its first performance for the teachers and students in the conference hall of Uzbekistan State University of World Languages in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, on September 26. Hu Meiyou, a sophomore of Uzbek Major from the School of Russian and Eurasian Studies at SISU, hosted the performance. The room was all fired up when she greeted the audience in fluent Uzbek.
Rahimov, president of Uzbekistan State University of World Languages, delivered an opening, thanking the troupe for its visit and highlighting the importance of learning and understanding the culture of the language the students are studying. He pointed out that both China and Uzbekistan had a long history with brilliant culture and tradition and that the tour bridged not only the Chinese and Uzbek people, but also all of the people along the ancient Silk Road.
The programs represented the diverse cultures of China, where different ethnic groups co-existed and strived together throughout the long history of China. The show was well-received by the audience, who were able to marvel at the beauty of traditional Chinese arts, enjoy the festive atmosphere, and be touched by the Chinese youth’s enthusiastic pursuit of their dreams.
Celebrating the 5th anniversary of Confucius Institute Samarkand
SISU Art Troupe departed for Samarkand on September 27. Samarkand State Institute of Foreign Languages, established in 1994, is one of the key institutes for training foreign language talents in Uzbekistan, playing a significant role in promoting the language expertise in central Asia. In 2008, the institute started to offer degree programs in Chinese studies, officially bringing Chinese teaching into the university’s curriculum. In partnership with SISU, it founded in 2014 its own Confucius Institute, which has served as a tie between the two universities in terms of academic collaboration. One of the many fruits the collaboration has produced is the international seminar on the significance of the Silk Road, which has been held for four consecutive years.
From September 27 to 28, the 5th International Seminar “The Great Silk Road: Languages, Cultures and Education” was held in Samarkand as part of the celebration of the 5th anniversary of the Confucius Institute. The performance of the SISU Art Troupe during the time of the event was represented SISU’s congratulations as well as another attempt by the university to promote Chinese culture overseas through its SISU’s “Decoding China” program.
Titled “Wind from the East”, the performance started at the Music Theatre of Samarkand at 4pm local time. The one-and-a-half-hour performance, which included traditional and contemporary renditions of Chinese folk arts, impressed the local audience. Many were invited to go on the stage and try out traditional Chinese instruments, which enhanced their interest in and love for the culture. Toward the end of the performance, the emotions of the audience reached a peak when the Chinese students sung the Uzbekistan folk song Soy Bo’ yida. Many stood up and sung along with the performers.
It is also worth mentioning that the local performers also contributed with performances of Uzbekistan, turning the stage to an arena where the East met the West. During these moments, all of the cultural differences were all gone. What remained was the shared happiness of the performers and of the audience.
Li Sinong, head of the art troupe wrote in her tour diary, “There is a German saying ‘Der Tanz wohnt in mir’, which literally means ‘Have a talent in dancing’. But now I would like to translate it into ‘Born to be a dancer’, because it vividly describes the personality of Uzbek people. Their dance is filled with the uniqueness and the charms of their nation. It will captivate the heart of whoever lays eyes on it. Their performance also inspired those who are interested in learning about different kinds of folk dances.”
Lecture on Chinese Music at the Confucius Institute
On September 28, Liu Hao from the Arts Education Center of SISU gave a lecture on Chinese music at the Confucius Institute, during which she talked about the musical features in the Chinese language as characterized by its four tones.
Giving a live demonstration of how Chinese tones and intonations worked and how ancient Chinese poems could be rendered as songs, Liu deepened the audience’s understanding of the aesthetics and the rhythm of ancient Chinese music.
After the lecture, the local students had a lively discussion with the SISU students, exploring together with them the dance steps and hand gestures of Chinese folk dances and the techniques of playing Chinese musical instruments.
Students from both countries, who used to be complete strangers living in different time zones and places, were brought closer together by such close communications and the universal language of art. The activity provided the Chinese students with an opportunity to think deeply about China’s relations to the rest of the world,and the Uzbekistan students a chance of direct contact with the dynamic culture of China.
Performing at the Pengsheng Industrial Park
On the last day of their tour, members of the art troupe went to Sirdaryo state to visit the Pengsheng Industrial Park, the first project funded by a Chinese private enterprise in Uzbekistan.
At the invitation of the industrial park managers, they performed for over 200 workers from both China and Uzbekistan.
Despite a lack of good lighting, sophisticated audio equipment, and professional theater settings, the performers were supported by the enthusiasm of the audience and managed to put on a magnificent show. At moments like this, the SISU students were not only performers, but also agents of China-Uzbekistan cultural exchanges, who were telling the stories of China and telling them well.
Concluding remarks
On September 30, the troupe returned to Shanghai, carrying with the beautiful memories of their days in Central Asia.
Now let’s turn back the clock. The rehearsal for the tour began in June, 2019. During every step of the rehearsal, all the actors tried their best to perfect every details and prepare for every possible situation. They kept training under the instruction of the teachers again and again in the rehearsal rooms until the last day before the departure.
The troupe trained non-stop for the three months, including during the summer vacation. Working with utmost efficiency, the students devised the programs, wrote the lines for the hosts themselves, proofread the translation, and worked closely with the Uzbekistan party for publicity and various logistic issues. Eventually, the troupe gave a fascinating and engaging performance featuring Chinese ethnic arts and traditional culture, which also demonstrated SISUers’ outstanding capabilities as well as language proficiency.
Every country and every ethnic group has its unique culture. The communication of art is indeed the communication of emotions, which serves as an essential and effective carrier for the promotion of Chinese culture. This tour built a bridge for mutual understanding between the two peoples. Through the event, SISU students were deeply impressed by the kindness, warmness and friendliness of the Uzbeks, and were able to realize at a deeper level how China had become more confident and more influential on the international stage since the reform and opening up.
Gao Mingjin, former leader of the Chinese orchestra of the troupe, reflected on the tour: “Every nation is the honored inheritors of its history and culture. They are determined to guard their traditions while absorbing new energy. The spread of culture is always mutual. The Confucius Institute presents the Chinese culture to the world, while serving as an agent of the absorption of the culture and spiritual power of other nations. We, who were fortunate enough to join the “Wind from the East” Art Troupe, serve as good examples of how Chinese arts can reach across the borders and how other cultures can be beneficial to our own.”
The article is translated by Wang Zhenyi, Yuan Yue, Zhang Ruijie, Zhao Yongzi, and proofread by Lu Yuyang, members of the Translation Association of the School of English Studies (SESTA) at Shanghai International Studies University. For use of the content, please contact: ses_translators@163.com.
Press Contact
SISU News Center, Office of Communications and Public Affairs
Tel : +86 (21) 3537 2378
Email : news@shisu.edu.cn
Address :550 Dalian Road (W), Shanghai 200083, China