A glimpse of Chinese New Year in Dhaka

Amidst one of the coldest winter evenings this year, the National Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy buzzed with tranquility and the festivity of spring, celebrating the friendship between China and Bangladesh.

This year's "Voices of Spring Golden Dreams", a cross-border spring festival and cultural opus, blended with extraordinary performances from artistes of both countries, enthralled a full house in the two-storey hall from 7pm to 9pm on Wednesday (January 17).

Organised by the Chinese Embassy and information office and foreign affairs offices of the Yunnan province, the event was attended by Social Welfare Minister Dr Dipu Moni as the chief guest. Chinese Embassy officials and Yunnan province government officials, including the deputy minister, also enjoyed the programme.

Announcing the inauguration of the festive gala, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy Director General Liaquat Ali Lucky began his address by thanking the Chinese delegates, performers, audiences, and the guests present.

Reminding the audience of the long friendship and harmony between the two countries, Liaquat Ali Lucky said, "Bangladesh and China have a long cultural and philosophical relationship. Despite growing hatred, armed conflicts, mutual intolerance, and brutal human rights violations transforming into threats of catastrophe in international relationships, Bangladesh and China have always shared a friendship based on mutual respect, harmony, and understanding.

"It is always art and culture that work as means to stop the degeneration of humankind. It is culture that enables us to maintain a balance between technical progress and the intellectual and moral development of humanity," Liaquat said while mapping the long friendship between the two countries, since the time of Atiśa, a Buddhist religious leader and master from Bengal, who he believes is the first ambassador to China from Bangladesh.

Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen stated, "The living culture of Dhaka is a testament and representation of what it was thousands of years ago. China and Bangladesh have always been good friends, even hundreds of years ago, and the friendship is rooted in mutual respect, understanding, and support, transforming into an inspiring bilateral relationship."

"We want to deepen that relationship with a more robust cultural exchange, and that is why I believe this gala will enable Bangladesh to take a glimpse into the New Year celebration festivities of China," said the Chinese envoy.

Thanking the Chinese delegates and artistes, Dr Dipu Moni, chief guest of the programme, stressed the glorious history of peaceful and ever-growing bilateral relationships between the two countries and said she looks forward to even greater cultural and diplomatic collaboration moving forward.

The spring festival began with a captivating dance performance by a prominent Chinese Cultural organisation, the Song and Dance Ensemble of Yunnan Province. Performers created the Hani dance "Divine Bird Flapping Swings of China" at the event.

Followed by the Chinese team, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy's cultural team performed a dance ensemble with Rabindranath Tagore's song "Bipulo Taranga Re" and Kazi Nazrul Islam's poem "Bidrohi".

One of the most enthralling performances was a Chinese acrobatics shoulder ballet by Yunnan Provincial Acrobatics Troupe. The performers mesmerised the audience with their chemistry, craft, and extraordinary stylistic acrobatic skills.

Followed by a magic show and another acrobatic performance by Yunnan Provincial Acrobatics Troupe, Chinese musician Jia Zhengfu, who also goes by the stage name Luoluo Basi, took the evening to its peak with his spectacular skill with a long bamboo-made musical instrument, which produces more than five sounds.

Not only that, the master performer produced the sound of regional birds from both China and Bangladesh with extraordinary virtuoso.

However, the two-hour gala had more to offer yet. The Song and Dance Ensemble of Yunnan Province once again captivated the audience with their "Peacock Dance, the Essence of Dai Ethnic Culture," and an acrobatics drums pedaling performance afterward, echoing the olden dreams of cultural harmony and coexistence.

Chinese New Year, also known as Spring Festival or Lunar New Year, is the grandest and most colorful annual event in China, observed with a 7-day-long holiday.