(Lanzhou) The 2009 “BMW China Culture Journey” has been heading north since its departure from Chengdu on June 10th. Upon concluding its exploration to the cultural heritages within areas affected by last year's earthquake in Sichuan, the fleet drove through Prairie Ruoergai and arrived today in Lanzhou, capital of Gansu province. This afternoon, at the Waterwheel Park, the fleet enjoyed a large-scale performance of Gansu intangible cultural heritage. Mr. Li Haobin, Deputy-Director of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Center of Gansu Province, Ms. Crystal Gu, Head of Public Relations, BMW Brilliance Automotive Ltd., and the cultural experts from China National Academy of Arts and the Protection Center of intangible Cultural Heritage joined the fleet to appreciate the performance.
After several thousand years of cultural inheritance and evolution, Gansu has bred and formed a rich culture of alternative styles. As one of the originating locations of Yellow River Chinese Civilization, it is the home of the “myth – Fuxi” and the “Queen of the West”. The 1,600-kilometer-long Silk Road in the Province made it a great place for cultural exchange and fusion. All forms of culture and art flourish in this land of the winding Yellow River and vast plateaus. In 2007, the “BMW China Culture Journey”fleet traveled by the famous cities of Longshang, Lanzhou and Jiuquan, and concluded the first journey ever in the hometown of divine culture, Dunhuang.
The Intangible Cultural Heritages of Gannan, Longnan, and Tianshui in Gansu suffered widespread devastation by last year's May 12 earthquake. In total, 11 state-listed intangible cultural heritage protection projects, 33 provincial-listed projects and 403 county-listed projects suffered damage. This unprecedented natural disaster presented a great tribulation for all cultural protection work in Gansu. With that, the 2009 “BMW China Culture Journey” once again visited Gansu, and donated RMB300,000 to severely-damaged yet extremely representative projects, namely Wenxian County White-Horse Tibetan Drama, Wushan Sheepskin Fan-Drum Dance and Wudu Mountain Drama, through the China Charity Federation BMW Warm-Heart Fund, to help them through this difficult period, and to ensure the continued flourishing of Longnan folk culture.
Guests, media and members of the fleet enjoyed the unique performances with enthusiasm. Among the performances of 'wondrous styles', was the White Horse Tibetan Drama; a folk dance and traditional sacrificial event of ancestral worship, filled with an air of mysticism and ethnic religion. The Sheepskin Fan-Drum Dance from Hui County takes a rush-leaf fan shape, while the dance is lively, and the songs, melodious. Peace Drum Dance from Lanzhou is uplifting and inspirational with its powerful posture of 'bending the bow and shooting the wild geese', coupled with thunderous drumbeats. In addition to these, there were also many local-style performances, such as high stilts and Yongdeng hard lion dance: all sparkling stars that captivated the audience.
Ms. Crystal Gu, Head of Public Relations, BMW Brilliance Automotive Ltd. said: “Cultural heritage is the soul of a nation. Today we are pleased to see the revival after a year of tireless recovery efforts. It was the achievement of the people of Gansu who have been working hard and wise. Watching these rich, colorful cultural heritages, filled with folk characters, we are so excited and moved, and firmly believe they will be well inherited and everlasting. Meanwhile, we would like to call upon the society, on this occasion, to take an interest and get involved in the protection and restoration of the spiritual home of the disaster areas.”
Mr. Li Haobin, Deputy-Director of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Center of Gansu Province said: “The central Chinese culture, Bashu culture and Western Chinese Culture met and blended in the land of Longnan in Gansu, blooming forth wonderful blossoms of art, and presenting us with pure and simple yet mystical and passionate folk styles and characters. After the earthquake, it has been our goal to rescue and protect these intangible cultural heritages. It is a long and difficult task which requires input from all of society. We hope BMW's example can stimulate involvement and raise protective social consciousness!”
As one of the main “China Cultural Heritage Day” activities, and a part of “Chengdu International Festival of Intangible Culture Heritage”，the 2009 “BMW China Culture Journey” set off on June 10 from Chengdu National Park of Intangible Cultural Heritage on a journey spanning numerous cities ravaged by the earthquake, including Mianzhu and Dujiangyan, and indigenous homes of the Qiang people like Wenchan and Maoxian County, and arrived in Gansu by traveling through Prairie Ruo’ergai. The fleet will then move on to reach the Regong Culture Ecological Reserve Area in Qinghai to wrap up the journey, spanning nine days and 2,200km. The purpose of this journey is to showcase the cultural gems in affected provinces, fully demonstrate the remarkable achievement of safeguarding their spiritual home by local people, and contribute donations to the salvaging and protection of severely devastated cultural relics through CCF BMW Warm-Heart Fund. Meanwhile, the journey will explore effective ways to deal with disaster and restore cultural ecology, and help enhance social consciousness towards the protection of traditional culture.
