On the evening of October 12, the 2024 Reception in Honor of Foreign Diplomatic Missions to China was held at the Beijing Garden Expo Park, attended by over 260 guests, including diplomatic missions from 75 countries and representatives of international organizations in China, along with their families.

Experiencing Traditional Culture and Modern Fashion

Before the reception, the participants visited the EVE Castle.

As a world-class fashion and creative design center developed by the EVE Group, the castle showcases the integration of traditional cultural elements and modern fashion attire. It also gathers talent in design, creativity, technology, and traditional crafts from all over the world.

At the castle, the guests admired the craftsmanship that has been passed down for centuries across different ethnic groups and regions in China. They gained deeper insights into the evolution of ethnic minority crafts, immersing themselves in the splendid ethnic culture. As they explored the traditional handcrafts, the guests actively interacted with the artisans and staff, asking questions like “How is the two-sided embroidery created?” and “What does this pattern symbolize?”

In the castle’s Ethnic Culture Experience Center, the guests engaged in traditional Chinese crafts and intangible cultural heritage activities, including tie-dyeing, knotting, and mask painting. Melissa Säilä, Minister-Counsellor of the Embassy of Finland in China, remarked, “These handicrafts are stunningly beautiful, and I have great admiration for the Chinese artisans. I love the Chinese dragon motif and had the opportunity to create a unique lacquer fan.” Vinod Ahuja, Representative ad interim in China and the DPRK of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)  of the United Nations from India, noted that while his home country hosts many craft exhibitions, this visit provided him with a new perspective to savor the unique charm of handicrafts created by different ethnic groups in China.

Endless Snaps and Wows: Captivated by “Jingcai” Lantern Show

After the reception, the participants toured the “Jingcai” Lantern Show at the Beijing Garden Expo Park.

As night fell, the park was lit up by over 200 sets of dazzling lanterns. The show, themed “Colorful Lanterns in Beijing, Celebrations in Beijing”, featured nine themed sections, including “Festive Songs”, “Fantastic Beijing”, “Magnificent Landscapes”, “Beijing Trends”, and “Innocent Dreams”. The event set multiple records for the city in terms of scale, lantern size, and design. Notably, about 70% of the lanterns were custom-made for Beijing, highlighting the city’s distinctive characteristics. Displays such as “Beijing Scenery”, depicting Beijing’s traditional hutong culture, “Eight Scenic Spots in Yanjing”, showcasing the capital’s ancient history, and “Charming Beijing”, portraying the traditional folk culture, came together to create a magnificent, dreamlike world.

The breathtaking lanterns left the participants in awe, prompting them to exclaim “beautiful” and “spectacular” from time to time. Amid the wonderful show, they took group photos and engaged in lively conversations.

“If I had to describe the festival in one word, it would be ‘extraordinary’,” said Valerie Sorel, Head of the Emergency Response Division of the Embassy of Canada in China. She remarked that from the moment she entered the park, the vibrant scenes and artistic creations made of lights and fabric left a lasting impression on her.

Petra Klenovska, Secretary at the Embassy of Slovakia in China, attended the event with her family. She mentioned that it was her first time at a Chinese lantern show, which she found very amazing. She hopes that more friends will have the opportunity to visit China and explore its culture.

“The lantern show is incredibly stunning; it is an unforgettable experience for me,” said Marcelo Suárez Salvia, Ambassador of Argentina to China. He was deeply impressed by China’s cultural inheritance, especially that of Beijing, noting that, “Even in everyday life, we foreigners can truly appreciate how carefully China preserves its cultural legacy. With so many scenic spots in Beijing, I look forward to more cultural experiences.”

(Based on information from CRI Online)