Chinese gala came to stage in Moscow
By admin on 2014-12-26

Chinese folk music, traditional dancing and a live calligraphy demonstration were just part of a gala presented by a Beijing University arts troupe in Moscow on Friday.

The pageantry featuring the quintessence of Chinese culture was staged at Moscow State University to celebrate the university's 255th anniversary, which falls on Jan. 25.

The gala consisted of three parts, dubbed "harmonies of heaven," "harmonies of humankind," and "harmonies of music."

A dance inspired by the Analects of Confucius portrayed youngsters in ancient times reading bamboo slips, books in ancient times, embodying their diligence and enthusiasm for life vividly.

Other acts, including folk song singing, dancing and folk music, also won huge rounds of applause. There was also a live Chinese kungfu and calligraphy show along with Chinese folk music.

The spectacular gala ended with the famous Scottish song, "Auld Lang Syne." Teachers and students from Moscow State University and Beijing University took to the stage, embraced each other and took photos with the entire cast to commemorate the moment.

"I felt the uniqueness of the Chinese culture through the gala," said Nadja Afonina, a Chinese major at Moscow State University. Afonina was so impressed with the stunning performances, she hoped for a chance to experience the diversity and comprehensiveness of Chinese culture in China one day.

Zhang Xiuhuan, the director of Beijing University's Hanban, said Beijing University and Moscow State University had maintained extensive exchanges in maths, biology and medicine in recent years.

A post-graduate school co-founded by the two universities in 2002 was the first joint post-graduate school between prestigious universities from the two countries, Zhang said.

The arts troupe from Beijing University is one of the most influential university arts troupes in China. The celebration, sponsored by Beijing University and the Confucius Institute of Moscow State University, and co-sponsored by the Chinese Embassy in Russia, also unveiled the Year of Chinese Language in Russia.

Elizabeth Peterovna, also known as Tsar Elizabeth I, signed a decree establishing Moscow State University on Jan. 25, 1755. The university, Russia's first institute for high education under Russia's Tsars, has evolved into one of the world's top universities.