BEIJING, May 20, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- In a grand ceremony held on Wednesday in the
Russian Embassy in Beijing, two
sculptures portraying the renowned Russian novelist Maxim Gorky
(1868-1936) and his Chinese counterpart Lu
Xun (1881-1936), who was the most influential representative
of the cultural and literary circle in modern times, were unveiled.
The event not only commemorated the historical connections between
the two cultures but also symbolized the anticipation of the
ongoing 2024 and upcoming 2025 China-Russia Years of Culture.
Crafted by Wu Weishan, the
director of the National Art Museum of China and a renowned sculptor recognized for
his depictions of prominent figures both domestically and
internationally, the full-body statues pay homages to the legacies
of Gorky and Lu Xun.
Russian Ambassador to China Igor Morgulov said in his speech at
the ceremony on Wednesday that he was happy to see the dialogue
between Gorky and Lu Xun as
Wu Weishan created. He noted that
the event was of great significance because it was the prologue to
the opening of 2024 and upcoming 2025 China-Russia Years of
Culture.
In the hearts of Chinese people, both Gorky and Lu Xun occupied pivotal positions in history, as
they shouldered the responsibility of guiding their people toward a
brighter future and progress through their literary works, said
Wu Weishan, who has designed statues
of Lu Xun on several occasions.
The faces, hairstyles, eyes, mustaches and even temperaments of
these two literary giants look very similar as the two "stand here
to engage in literary and ideological dialogue, which inspire us,"
said Wu.
These sculptures serve as a tribute to their enduring influence
and the enduring bond between Russian and Chinese cultures.
Gorky and Lu Xun are literary
giants and ideological giants of their respective countries. Their
writings carry profound insights and strong calls for human nature
and society. Their shared dialogue symbolizes the blending and
mutual learning of the cultures and national spirits of
China and Russia, carries our common responsibility for
the inheritance and development of civilizations, and witnesses the
deep friendship between the two peoples, Lu Yingchuan, vice
minister of Culture and Tourism of China, said in his remarks made at the
unveiling ceremony.
Dynamic interactions
Russian President Vladimir Putin
said he believes Russia and
China have been inextricably
linked for centuries, both by an extensive common border and by
close cultural and people-to-people ties. Today, there is high
interest in Chinese culture and arts within Russian society, Putin
stated in a written interview with the Xinhua News Agency on the
eve of his two-day state visit to China, which concluded on Friday.
The years 2024 and 2025 have been designated as the Years of
Culture between Russia and
China. Under this initiative, the
two countries have planned more than 230 cultural and artistic
events across 51 cities in China
and 38 cities in Russia.
From the start of the 2024, both China and Russia have actively engaged in a dynamic
series of cultural interactions as part of this designated cultural
year. These include a variety of activities such as exhibitions,
showcases of folk cultures, movie screenings, and artistic
exchanges.
The 2024 Beijing Great Wall Concert kicked off on Friday at
Badaling Wangjing Cultural Square in the capital city's suburban
Yanqing district. It is the third year that the Beijing Great Wall
Concert took place and this year the event was also to mark the
75th anniversary of the establishment of China-Russia
diplomatic ties.
The conductor of this concert, Yuri Bashmet, is considered a
luminary in the world of viola. He also established the All-Russian
Youth Symphony Orchestra in 2012, consisting of over 100 young
musicians aged between 10 and 22 from various parts of Russia. This time, Bashmet and his team took
to the stage of the Great Wall, marking his first performance at
this unparallel heritage site in China.
"It's incredibly exciting to perform in such a great place. This
will be a very unforgettable moment in the lives of these young
Russian musicians," Bashmet said.
He noted that the gathering of artists from China and Russia at the Great Wall symbolized the
friendship between the two countries. "Music can communicate the
emotions of the people of both countries. I have had close
communication and cooperation with Chinese artists, and the
performance in 2024 is a testament to the further development of
our relationship."
Continuous friendship
A special concert was held to celebrate the 75th anniversary of
China-Russia diplomatic ties on Thursday in
Beijing on the sidelines of the
opening ceremony of the China-Russia Years of Culture.
The China National Traditional Orchestra (CNTO) and the Osipov
State Russian Folk Orchestra joined hands to give the audiences a
cultural feast. The musicians played many classic pieces such as
"Moscow Evenings," a waltz-like Soviet song that is very well known
in China, as well as the
traditional Russian song "Katyusha," which is beloved by both
Russian and Chinese people.
For 75 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations
between China and Russia, the friendly exchanges and moving
friendships mediated by music have never ceased. The frequent
interactions and partnership between the China National Traditional
Orchestra and Russian artistic groups and artists are a touching
testament to this deep friendship, according to an article
published on CNTO's official WeChat account Sunday.
In 2019, CNTO traveled to Moscow to participate in the celebration of
the 70th anniversary of the establishment of China-Russia
diplomatic relations, successfully collaborating with the Osipov
State Russian Folk Orchestra.
"Music can touch the soul, transcend time and space, and awaken
deep-seated emotions. Five years later, the two orchestras once
again shared the stage, presenting a brilliant performance and
continuing this precious friendship," said Zhao Cong, president of the CNTO.
The cultural influence the two countries have on each other has
always been significant. The cultural exchanges have been
long-standing and essential in the bilateral ties, which have
arrived at a new height, Zhang Yiwu, a professor of Chinese
language and literature from Peking University, told the Global
Times.
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SOURCE Global Times