People look at the handicrafts at the exhibition Photo: Courtesy of Long Wen

Exhibition showcases cross-Straits handicrafts

The A Hundred Craftsmen across the Taiwan Straits event kicked off recently in Jinan, East China's Shandong Province. The event gives handicraft masters the opportunity to communicate with each other about the many areas of traditional handicrafts. It is expected to boost the development of the entire Chinese handicraft field. 

The event is hosted by the Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the Shandong Provincial Government, Shandong Cross-straits Economic and Cultural Development Promotion Association, Shandong Federation of Trade Unions Exchange Center, Shandong Wuji Culture and Art Exchange Center and Shandong Management University.

At present, a Same Roots cup, made of clay from both the Yellow River in Shandong and Nantou on the island of Taiwan, was displayed to underline the same cultural background and close people-to-people exchanges across the Taiwan Straits.

Liu Xuanzi, a Shandong Intangible Cultural Heritage master, said that the event aims to transform traditional Chinese culture through innovative methods in order to allow it to survive in modern society and strengthen its influence. 

A special ­exhibition will be held at a later date to display the handicraft works on both sides of the Taiwan Straits.


Theater drama on opera performers to be staged

The drama Jingmeng, about traditional Chinese opera performers, is set to be staged at the Shanghai Grand Theatre on Friday. 

The drama tells the story of a Kunqu Opera troupe from East China's Jiangsu Province who fight against an unjust fate as a war comes to an end. 

The director Chen Peisi, a renowned comedian in China, said that the performance is significant because it shows the inheritance of art in the era of war, the future of the country and the fate of common people.

Ever since its debut in 2021, the drama has gained positive feedback from audiences, earning a score of 9.4/10 on Chinese review platform Douban. 

"For so many years, one thing I learned from the audience is that they are very smart, so you must respect them instead of fooling around with them," said the scriptwriter Yu Yue.