Weeklong celebration marks four decades of cities' friendship

By Hao Nan | China Daily | Updated: 2019-06-19 07:37

Beijing Week, a landmark cultural and commercial event, recently opened at the Akihabara Convention Hall in Tokyo to mark the 40th anniversary of sister-city relations between the Chinese and Japanese capitals.

The event, which took place from June 6-9, included art performances, a culture and tourism conference, a presentation on the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games and talks on the creative industry and technological innovation.

On-site production of Beijing's intangible cultural heritage items and the chance to taste Beijing's specialty snacks were highlights of the event.

On June 7, at the "Charming Beijing" promotion, visitors learned about ancient and modern Beijing through the city's landmarks on a large screen.

They included Nanluoguxiang, one of the best preserved historical areas in downtown Beijing and also a haunt for tourists and young hipsters; Sanlitun, known for its cluster of diplomatic missions, glitzy shopping districts and bars; the Temple of Heaven, serving as a complex of sacrificial buildings for the Ming and Qing emperors; and Beijing's metro lines, shared bicycles and high-speed trains.

During the four-day event, a photo exhibition featuring Beijing's central axis attracted much attention. "I visited the photo exhibition and it was very interesting," said Ryo Koda, a local visitor. "Through the central axis, I can have an overall understanding of Beijing from south to north. This is good for me to learn about the city's culture and geography."

Beijing was symmetrically designed based on a line that runs 7.8 kilometers from the Drum and Bell Towers in the north to Yongdingmen in the south. First created in the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), the original axis was 3.7 km long. It was extended during the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties.

To better demonstrate the city's rich cultural heritage, noted Chinese artist Wei Chunrong performed the Kunqu Opera The Peony Pavilion at the promotion.

Artists from the Beijing Traditional Orchestra played both Chinese and Japanese folk songs.

"We hope to have more Japanese residents learn about China's traditional arts through events like Beijing Week," said Yang Fengyi, director of the Northern Kunqu Opera Theatre.

Organizers of the event also presented China's preparations for the 2022 Winter Olympics with pictures, text, music and videos.

Visions of the Games were exhibited on a 33-square-meter wall, as well as its emblem, sports events, planning of the competition areas, tradition of winter sports in Beijing and the National Speed Skating Hall, which is the only newly built stadium for the Games.

Japan has been the second-largest inbound tourism market of Beijing for years. In the first quarter of this year, the Chinese capital received 74,000 visits from Japan, an increase of 5.9 percent year-on-year.

"We hope the promotional activity can help enhance cultural exchanges between China and Japan, and extend an invitation to more Japanese visitors," said Chen Dong, Party secretary of Beijing's culture and tourism bureau.

haonan@chinadaily.com.cn