Ancient cultures inspire hope this Chinese New Year in Sydney

China Cultural Centre in Sydney (Photo/People's Daily Online)

SYDNEY, Feb.19 (People’s Daily Online/Nuo Shen) – As the part of the "Happy Chinese New Year" activities, a group of 32 delegates from Guizhou Song and Dance Theatre visited Australia to perform across different locations in New South Wales and Canberra from Feb. 9 to 17, 2019.

Organized by the China Cultural Centre in Sydney, the performers showcased traditional Chinese culture and arts through martial arts, opera, folk music, and acrobatics to the audiences.

Home to sheer limestone peaks, dramatic gorges and cascading waterfalls, Guizhou Province in south-western China is known for its spectacular natural beauty and traditional rural villages, inhabited by minority groups including the Miao, Buyi, Shui, Dong, and Yi.

The performance Acrobatics Ballet On The Shoulder is a display of tenderness and strength dancing on the shoulder. The romantic tenderness is perfectly matched with breathtaking difficulty. The Miao group’s dance performance Butterfly Mama reflects the ancestral totem of the butterfly which blesses the Miao people like a mother. The performance of dancing butterflies is a wish for a happy life.

In addition, the Yi group brought a spectacular display of costume and dance as they depict the story of the 1,500-year-old Tusi Dynasty of Shuixi Yi people. Dressed in fire-inspired costumes, the performers use their enthusiasm to symbolize men's fortitude and power and women's shyness and femininity.

Mr. Guiyuan Pei from the Guizhou Song and Dance Theatre, said each group reflected their relationship with nature in different ways through their traditional performances. “There is a Chinese saying that describes the uniqueness of Guizhou: ‘different skies every 10 miles, and different customs even within one mountain’,” Guiyuan Pei said, “Guizhou has given birth to many rare cultural heritage gems that we’re pleased to share around the world.”