The rich and versatile Chinese culture came to life yesterday at Qatar National Theatre with a number of performances brought to Doha by the Chinese embassy in co-operation with the Ministry of Culture and Sports to mark the advent of Chinese New Year.
The show included a number of short performances of dance, Kung fu, traditional fan dances, Erhu solo, Tai Chi, face-changing performances, scenes from Peking opera, and martial arts by Shaolin Temple.
Chinese ambassador Zhou Jian addressed the audience before the start of the show. “We are honoured to invite the outstanding artists from Henan province of China to dedicate a wonderful show for all of us.”
He also pointed out the richness of the Chinese culture, which is deep rooted in the history of mankind. He said that these Chinese shows indicate “the Chinese people’s understanding of nature, and their perception of arts, besides their pursuit of beauty.”
The envoy hoped that the show will help to further strengthen the links between the Chinese people and the Arab world though they are “thousands of miles apart, they are as close to each other as members of one family.”
He further stressed that the shows also represent “the Chinese people’s unremitting pursuit of world peace, pointing out that China is a peace-loving nation and since ancient times has advocated peace as the best option. “May the peaceful sun shine on every corner of this region,” he said, as he thanked the Ministry of Culture and Sports and Qatar National Theatre for their strong support for the performance. A number of senior Qatari guests and members of the diplomatic community in Doha alongside a good number of Chinese families in Qatar enjoyed the show.
An enchanting dance sequence.
