On the evening of November 7, the "Wu Style Grand Ceremony" Wu Opera special performance commenced at the China Wu Opera Theater. As one of the key events of the 2023 China (Zhejiang) Forum on China-Africa Economic and Trade Relations and China-Africa Cultural Cooperation and Exchange Month, Wu Opera once again amazed African guests with its unique charm of high-spirited melodies and the fusion of literature and martial arts.

The performance featured "Nao Hua Tai (Lively Flower Terrace)", hailed as the symphony of Wu Opera, which showcased the performance features and styles of all Wu Opera accompaniment instruments, reflecting the ensemble's lineup and performance level, and encapsulating Wu Opera's musical traits of being melodious, smooth, lively and powerfully rustic.

On the scene, whether it was the Monkey King's mastery of Legendary Weapons of China in "Golden Monkey Celebrating Spring", the inverted tiger and skyward kick techniques in "Lu Bu Testing His Horse", or the ever-changing and dramatic formation of the "Nine-Section Dragon", all left the audience spellbound and in awe. The finale performance, "Sizhou City", brought the show to its climax, with swords, spears and staffs flying across the stage, and the audience dazzled by the tossing, kicking and catching, truly embodied the characteristics of Wu Opera, where literary plays characterized by singing and acting are performed with martial arts and martial plays are performed with literary refinement, and thus earned thunderous applause. "The costumes are beautiful and the performance is breathtaking. I am growing fonder of Chinese opera and culture," exclaimed an African audience member present.

This is not the first time Wu Opera has earned applause from African audiences. In 2018, Jinhua held the first China-Africa Cultural Cooperation and Exchange Week. Since then, Wu Opera has never been absent from the annual events and has become a model for cultural and artistic exchanges and cooperation between China and Africa.

Why is Wu Opera? In the view of competent officials from the Jinhua Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism, intangible cultural heritage carries local history and sustains cultural inheritance. As an ancient city with a millennium of history, Jinhua boasts 36 national-level intangible cultural heritage projects, among which Wu Opera is a "golden name card" of Jinhua’s culture.

Wu Opera, colloquially known as "Jinhua Opera", is one of Zhejiang's regional theatrical arts with over 500 years of history, serving as a living fossil of Chinese traditional opera. Wu Opera was included in the National Intangible Cultural Heritage List in 2008 and selected as one of the first "Zhejiang Cultural Imprints" in 2020. Over the past years, Wu Opera has not only appeared six times on the CCTV Spring Festival Gala but has also continuously expanded its visibility and influence overseas.

On September 4 this year, the Chen Meilan New Play Production Team from Zhejiang Wu Opera Art Research Institute embarked on a journey to Africa, representing China in cultural exchanges.

Over 11 days, Zhejiang Wu Opera Art Troupe toured Kenya, Ethiopia, and Eritrea to strengthen cultural exchanges with African countries, celebrating the 60th anniversary of China-Kenyan diplomatic ties, the 30th anniversary of China-Eritrean ties, and the 60th founding anniversary of the Organization of African Unity (predecessor to the African Union).

At the African Union headquarters and the Ethiopian National Theater in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, actors delivered meticulously prepared performances, including the full play of "Monkey Hit Lady White Bone Thrice", opera highlights like "The Crossroads", "Carrying the Bridal Sedan" and "Lu Bu Testing His Horse", as well as solo performances such as the suona piece "Jujube Beating" and the huqin solo "Hui Melody", all of which drew repeated applause from the audience. After the performance concluded, the audience of over a thousand lingered, reluctant to leave, and eagerly sought photo opportunities with the Wu Opera actors.

The performances received overwhelming acclaim and generated enthusiastic responses from all sectors. AU Commissioner Muchanga stated that cultural exchanges between Africa and China have a long history, and today, these exchanges are radiating renewed charm. The African Union will work with China to further strengthen cooperation, promote exchanges and continuously achieve new outcomes.

Shen Qinmin, Chargé d’Affaires ad interim of the Chinese Embassy in Ethiopia, stated that this performance is a vivid example of strengthened people-to-people exchanges and mutual learning between China and Ethiopia, creating a favorable atmosphere for deeper bilateral relations.

"Art knows no borders. Through each performance, we aim to deepen our African friends' understanding of traditional Chinese culture and further promote exchanges and friendship between China and Africa," said Lu Furong, a young performer from Zhejiang Wu Opera Art Troupe, who visited African countries in September.

It can be said that Wu Opera has made the culture of Ba Wu shine in Africa and brought Jinhua, the ancient city south of the Yangtze River, to the world.

Amid the wave of reform and opening-up, Jinhua has created numerous miracles. From Yiwu's transformation from "trading chicken feathers for sugar" to "Buy and Sell Globally" and to Dongyang-based Hengdian World Studios rising from the barren wasteland to the "oriental Hollywood" and Yongkang's evolution from blacksmithing to the "Hardware Capital of China" — these globally renowned entrepreneurial legends all showcase the diligence, wisdom and aspiration of the people of Jinhua.

How can African guests gain a deeper understanding of Jinhua, then Zhejiang, and ultimately comprehend China?

This year marks the inaugural upgrade of the China-Africa Cultural Cooperation and Exchange Week to a Month-long event, which will provide new answers.

On October 20, the launch ceremony of the "Qiao Chui Atelier —2023 China-Africa Woodcarving Artists Creative Exchange" Project, organized by the Bureau of International Exchange and Cooperation of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Zhejiang Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, and Jinhua Municipal People's Government, was held at the China Woodcarving Museum in Dongyang, Jinhua.

This Event invited seven woodcarving artists from Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti and the Central African Republic for a 30-day woodcarving art exchange in China.

Woodcarving is becoming a new medium for cultural and artistic exchanges between China and Africa. "In the art form of woodcarving, China and Africa have discovered new common ground," said a representative from the Bureau of International Exchange and Cooperation of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. African wood carvings are renowned worldwide for their rustic, bold and exaggerated artistic expressions, while Dongyang woodcarvings convey the profound essence of Chinese culture through masterful designs, exquisite techniques and inclusive imagery.

This creative exchange event has featured a professional team including Chinese master of arts and crafts, national intangible cultural heritage inheritor and Chinese Woodcarving Master Huang Xiaoming, who will engage in discussions, in-depth exchanges and collaborative creations with African woodcarving artists. Around the theme "Connecting the New Era", the Event aims to spark new inspirations in China-African woodcarving, showcase fresh expressions of friendship between the peoples of China and Africa, and convey the beauty of life from diverse perspectives.

Art is the universal language and culture the bridge connecting friendships. The special performance of "Wu Opera Gala", the 2023 China-Africa Woodcarving Artists Exchange, the China-Africa Culture and Tourism Cooperation Forum... During the 2023 China (Zhejiang) Forum on China-Africa Economic and Trade Relations and China-Africa Cultural Cooperation and Exchange Month, nearly 10 diverse exchange activities fostered multi-level, multi-channel and multi-form friendly cooperation, further deepened practical collaboration with Africa and co-created a bright future of "people-to-people connectivity, cultural mutual learning and win-win cooperation" with African countries.