With a single leaf boat, Sun Duan travels, as the stage’s charm reflects the water town. On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, Shaoxing’s Anqiao Village hosted the grand opening of the 2024 Third Water Town Community Theater “Opening Performance” on the evening of September 25. The event attracted enthusiastic support from numerous spectators, with thunderous applause as the local customs of Lu Xun’s hometown were vibrantly showcased.
The playful memories depicted by Lu Xun, such as watching community theater from a black awning boat under the moonlight, became a highlight of this event. Organized by the Shaoxing office of the Lu Xun Cultural Foundation, the aim is to conduct a series of cultural activities centered around the real locations featured in Lu Xun’s novels. Attendees at the opening ceremony included Zhou Lingfei, president of the Lu Xun Cultural Foundation; Lu Lanzhou, vice president and director of the Shaoxing office; Jin Dong, secretary of the Sun Duan Street Party Working Committee; representatives from enterprises and Anqiao Village; as well as representatives from universities in the Yangtze River Delta.
“This year’s theme, ‘Dialogue with a Thousand-Year Classic, Playing the Community Theater Symphony,’ acts as a red thread connecting ancient and modern cultures. It aims to revitalize traditional culture in the new era and allow more people to experience the charm of culture,” stated Zhou Lingfei. He emphasized that Shaoxing’s community theater, as a national-level intangible cultural heritage, carries the essence of water town culture, and that young people are the future of culture and the inheritors of community theater. To inspire young people’s love for community theater, they must first understand it. He noted that this year’s community theater builds on traditional temple fair performances while innovating with activities like stamp collection and black awning boat parades, enhancing young people’s sense of participation and interaction. Additionally, many performances incorporated elements such as student performances, songs and dances, and Yue opera, making the content richer and appealing to both young and old audiences alike.
On that day, as the gong sounded, a spectacular show officially began, featuring a blend of folk music, dance, vocal performances, and local art forms such as Yue opera and Shaoxing opera. The distinct regional characteristics and high artistic standards earned enthusiastic cheers from the audience.
According to a relevant official from the Shaoxing Binhai New Area Social Work Bureau, this year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. On this special day, the 2024 Shaoxing Water Town Community Theater event pays tribute to the motherland. Additionally, a relevant official from Sun Duan Street expressed hopes that this event would further promote the “Lu Xun Grandma’s Home” brand and drive the integration of agriculture, culture, and tourism in Anqiao Village and Sun Duan Street, expanding the path for rural revitalization.
During the event, various activities took place at the Grandma’s Home Scenic Area, including the “Picking Flowers in the Morning and Collecting Blessings in the Evening” market, black awning boat painting experiences, and boat parades. Visitors could enjoy the carefully prepared “Zhou Family Duck Hot Pot” from the Kong Yiji Restaurant, experiencing the traditional flavors of Shaoxing as described by Lu Xun.
Moreover, this year marks the 100th anniversary of the publication of Lu Xun’s novel “Blessing.” The Lu Xun Academy of Fine Arts specially designed 100 “Fu” characters symbolizing significant events from the past century and launched a stamp collection activity celebrating a century of blessings.
September 25 is also the birthday of Lu Xun, and on this occasion, the Lu Xun Primary Education Group hosted a “Birthday Celebration for Grandfather” activity in Anqiao Village. At the event, children painted wine jars and established the Lu Xun Cultural Children’s Research Institute to jointly celebrate Lu Xun’s birthday and bless the 2024 “Water Town Community Theater” event.
During the opening ceremony, an award ceremony for the “Colorful Painting of the Jiangnan Black Awning Boat” creative competition was held. Teams from Yuanpei College of Shaoxing University, “Lazy Sheep King Team,” “Ancient Yue Style Team,” and “A Scene from Community Theater, Drunken on the Black Awning Boat Team” won gold, silver, and bronze awards, respectively. The Media and Animation College of the Lu Xun Academy of Fine Arts received an honorary award.
It is reported that this year’s “Water Town Community Theater” activities will last until October 6, featuring performances of selected community theater programs, excerpts from professional theater troupes, themed community theater markets, animation exhibitions, cultural and creative markets, colorful black awning boat parades, community theater study tours, and a feast of water town delicacies. More visitors are expected to come and experience the unique charm of Lu Xun’s hometown.
(China Daily Zhejiang Reporter Station, Chen Ye)
[Editor: Li Hangyu]
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