This week, visitors in the Expo Garden will have the chance to experience the original "Min" culture through a variety of activities and performances in Fujian Week.

Located in China's southeastern coast, Fujian province is called "Min" for short, after the Minyue ethnic group who lived there in ancient times.

Now the boat-shaped Fujian Pavilion in the Expo Garden is bringing the province's unique culture and custom to visitors from around the world.

"We will provide a full picture of the environment in our province to visitors during the expo," Governor Huang Xiaojing said at the opening ceremony of Fujian Week.

Huang said the Fujian Pavilion resembles an "Eco-friendly Boat" braving the wind and waves across the Taiwan Straits and promoting prosperous economic and cultural development between the two sides.

During the week, a 500-member performance team will present a series of dances with Fujian local flavor at the Celebration Plaza in the Expo Garden, including the Putian cart drum parade, Fujian hotpot folk dance, Fuzhou Folk Dance with 12 brides, Fujian Minnan "chest batting dance", and a large-scale song and dance performance "Met at the Western Coast of the Taiwan Straits".

The 20-minute show will be performed twice a day. Organizers will also arrange a one-hour gala at the Baosteel Stage. Over 150 performers from the province will appear during the show, such as a male and female duet singing "Mountain and River Affection", a song called "Spring Grass" by the Puxian Opera, Hakka folk songs, and acrobatics. It will be performed two to three times a day during the week.

The well-known and eye-catching Fujian puppet show will also take place at the Baosteel stage.

Over 70 performers will give a 20-30 minute puppet performance of various plays.

They include "Stunt Monkey Training", "Novice Monk Outing", "Lantern Festival", "Four Generals", "Writing Puppet" and "Lion Dance".

Visitors can participate in the performance and interact with the performers and puppets.

The performance will be played three to four times a day during the week.

In addition to having a closer look at the traditional puppet craftsmanship around the performing venue, visitors can also have a cup of tea at a Fujian traditional tea ceremony.

The Fujian lantern festival parade will take place at the Beihuan Road. The 45-minute parade involves a variety of traditional dances and performances.

(China Daily 06/30/2010 page13)