STORY: Traditional Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival celebrated in Brussels
DATELINE: Sept. 21, 2023
LENGTH: 00:02:56
LOCATION: Brussels
CATEGORY: CULTURE

SHOTLIST:
1. various of Chinese Cultural Center in Brussels, Belgium
2. various of Belgian musician Johan Famaey playing an instrument
3. SOUNDBITE (English): JOHAN FAMAEY, Belgian musician

STORYLINE:

The opening of an exhibition on Shanghai's intangible cultural heritage and a traditional Chinese music concert kicked off the traditional Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival at the China Cultural Center in Brussels on Tuesday evening.

The event was attended by the Chinese Ambassador to Belgium Cao Zhongming, along with Belgian and European guests and a delegation of artists from Shanghai.

The festival "symbolizes people's aspiration for reunion, harmony and a better life," and is "one of the most important traditional festivals for the Chinese nation," the ambassador said.

The Shanghai Intangible Cultural Heritage Exhibition brought together 50 works from more than 10 projects at national, municipal and district levels.

These works, which included paper-cuttings, realistic stone carvings, home dyeing and weaving techniques, paper carvings, and gold and color drawings, enabled guests to appreciate the know-how and skills of Chinese craftspeople.

Another highlight of the evening was a traditional music concert performed by Shanghai's Qingyun Jiangnan String-and-Pipe Music and Belgian musician Johan Famaey, who composed multiple titles, such as "Moon," "Dreamer," "Dream Flight," or "Snow River," mixing Chinese folk music and Western symphony.

SOUNDBITE (English): JOHAN FAMAEY, Belgian musician
"My name is Johan Famaey. I'm a Belgian pianist, Yang Qin player and composer. And from 2005 to 2009, I had actually lived in China, in Qingdao. That's when I also got to know Chinese music. I also started to learn how to play this Chinese instrument (Yang Qin).
I will also play my own music, which is about the Chinese story, which is called Chang'e, it's about the Chinese moon goddess, which is celebrated, especially during this time of the moon festival. Actually, it's a story that I got to know China. I first was introduced to other Chinese myths, because I think it's very interesting.
I will tell them a bit, and explain a bit about why I present this music, and the story of Chang'e to the Chinese audience, they will understand because it's anyway so much connected with the Mid-Autumn Festival. At this moment of reunion and indeed getting together with family, that's also why the story of Chang'e, because in fact, it's about being eternally together and having in fact eternal love for each other."

The exhibition on Shanghai's intangible cultural heritage will run until November at the China Cultural Center in Brussels.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Brussels.
(XHTV)