On May 25th, European Professor Ghanim Putrus and his wife, Eman Putrus, along with ICARE faculty and students, visited the Hubei Province, China Peking Opera to appreciate the beauty of the intangible cultural heritage and experience the charm of the national quintessence. Peking Opera is a treasure of Chinese traditional culture and a world-renowned intangible cultural heritage, deeply rooted in traditional Chinese narrative structures. It expresses the theatrical aesthetic ideals and values of traditional Chinese society and is considered a common spiritual wealth and cultural heritage of all humanity.

“Experience unique intangible cultural heritage and immerse in the cultural charm of Peking Opera”

At 1 p.m., the group arrived at the Hubei Province, China Peking Opera and was led by Mr. Zhou Hu, the deputy director of the theater, to backstage to get a firsthand experience of the behind-the-scenes details of Peking Opera performances. Under Mr. Zhou's guidance, the group developed a strong interest in Peking Opera and inquired about the raw materials, craftsmanship, and techniques involved. By examining the various costumes and exquisite exhibits, the group gained a preliminary understanding and appreciation of Peking Opera.

"The Peking Opera performance was magnificent, and the audience cheered and applauded continuously."

After the visit, everyone gathered in the audience to watch the Peking Opera performances of "Hu Jia Zhuang" and "Qiong Lin Yan". The authentic performances drew rounds of applause and cheers from the foreign friends. "Hu Jia Zhuang" was uniquely choreographed and easy to understand, with thrilling fight scenes showcasing the superb skills of Peking Opera's martial arts performances. "Qiong Lin Yan" balanced singing and acting, incorporating both dance and vocal beauty, displaying the exquisite precision of Peking Opera's stylized performances. The two plays, one focusing on martial arts and the other on literary arts, were equally captivating, immersing the audience in the artistic atmosphere of Peking Opera. Everyone clapped and praised in admiration, expressing a keen interest in Peking Opera. When the actors took their bows at the end of the performance, people remained standing in front of the stage, joining the fans in clapping and taking photos.

This event is part of the series of ICARE cultural exchange activities. Prior to this, ICARE has organized several Sino-foreign cultural exchange activities with strong Chinese characteristics, such as "Spring Equinox: Tea Appreciation and Spring Outing" and "Meeting of Minds over Poetry and Calligraphy Lunch". The goal of these activities is to allow Chinese and foreign teachers and students to experience and communicate the charm of different cultures firsthand, enhance their sense of identity and respect for multiculturalism, and to become more confident, open, and tolerant in their future studies and work. ICARE will continue to embrace the concept of "openness, inclusiveness, mutual learning and mutual promotion", and will continuously innovate the forms and contents of Sino-foreign cultural exchange activities to contribute more wisdom and strength to the development of global cultural diversity.