Musicians perform at the concert. Photo: Courtesy of Beijing Concert Hall

Original folk music premieres in Beijing 

The original ethnic concert One Seed Changes the World has premiered in Beijing.

The concert kicked off at the Beijing Concert Hall with the melodious music composition Mom, the Rice is Ripe. 

The work is based on a letter written by hybrid rice research pioneer Yuan Longping to his mother, and adopts the form of poetry recitation with music in the background. It not only expresses the deep longing inside Yuan, but also shows his deep love toward his family and country.

The front hall of the Beijing Concert Hall was crowded with dancers in ethnic minority costumes, bringing the audience to Huaihua in Central China's Hunan Province, the place where Yuan's dream began.

On the second floor of the concert hall, a specially designed small exhibition told the audience the life story of Yuan through precious pictures and words.

Known as the "Father of Hybrid Rice," Yuan was assigned to Hunan Anjiang Agricultural School in Huaihua in 1953 and engaged in teaching and hybrid rice research for 37 years. In 2019, Yuan was awarded the Medal of the Republic, China's highest state honor.

Organizers use this special way to commemorate the researcher and hopes that Yuan's heroic deeds and spirit will spread far and wide.

'Happiness in My Eyes' exhibition

An artistic dialogue between photography master Xiao Quan and orphans, Happiness in My Eyes, opened in Beijing on Monday.

Over the past 23 years, more than 190,000 orphans and disabled children have grown up in the care of orphanages thanks to a project known as Chunhui Mama. 

Behind every photo is a touching story. These moments of family affection without blood relationship allows visitors to open the door to another world, where children live a beautiful and happy life with their caretakers.

In May, Xiao, a well-known Chinese photographer, came to the Children's Welfare Institute to take portraits of the orphaned and disabled children. Xiao showed his understanding of this special group through the expression of photography.

The Happiness in My Eyes public welfare photography exhibition brings the most tender stories and warm moments of Chunhui Mama in the past two decades.