Chinese dance drama promotes “Maritime Silk Road” at UN HQ

by Shi Xiaomeng

UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) — “I thought the story was very powerful. It was about family, love, adventure, friendship, and inheritance,” Maria Kucinski said after watching a traditional Chinese dance drama “Dream of the Maritime Silk Road.”

Admitting that she has never learnt anything before about Maritime Silk Road — a sea route of the economic and cultural exchanges between ancient China and the rest of the world, Kucinski told Xinhua that she can get the concept and images of interactions in trade and culture in that period after enjoying the drama performed at UN headquarters on Wednesday night.

“There is a marketplace where everybody came…where they are able to purchase silk, tea, porcelain…” Kucinski recalled a specific scene showing the hustle and bustle of the trade and commerce 800 years ago.

The dance drama, through distinctively Chinese classical dance, tells a story of a commercial fleet in China’s Quanzhou port, Fujian Province: The captain of the fleet was invited by a western Asian merchant to together develop a new sailing route. During the voyage, the fleet was struck by a storm and the captain sacrificed his life to save western Asian merchant.

“That’s really wonderfully portrayed,” said Alice Chen, a Chinese American who works in the UN. “I think it’s really great that the UN was able to showcase all the culture, all the celebrations and all the great values that Chinese people have.”

“You see the Chinese really look out for other cultures,” she added.

The performance is put on by the Permanent Mission of China to the UN on the occasion of China’s presidency of the Security Council for February. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also joined the crowds to watch the show.

Addressing the event, Liu Jieyi, China’s permanent representative to the UN said today’s world calls for a new type of international relations centering on win-win cooperation.

“China is working with numerous countries to build a Silk Road Economic Belt and a 21st Century Maritime Silk Road,” Liu mentioned, saying that the initiative is making good headway and will bring new vigor and vitality to the development and prosperity of the countries concerned and the world at large.

The Silk Road Economic Belt is to be established along the ancient Silk Road trade route, stretching northwest from China’s coastal area through Central Asia, the Middle East and on to Europe, while the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road will run through the country’s south to Southeast Asia.

Echoing with the concepts of the initiative, the show is expected to act as a symbol of cultural exchanges, Xie Nan, executive director of the drama told Xinhua, adding that he hopes it can help to deliver China’s friendliness and passion to the whole world on the UN’s platform.