In the run up to the 2012 Spring Festival, 17 members of the “Three Tours” Art Troupe of undergraduates from Shanghai Jiao Tong University gave a wonderful show of Chinese national music, song and dance for more than 200 middle school students and locals at Boll-Schule in Bochum, Ruhr at the invitation of Confucius Institute Metropolis Ruhr. The troupe were received with hearty welcomes.

 

Bochum is located in Ruhr, Germany, over 60 kilometers away from Duisburg. The Boll-Schule is one of the city’s senior middle school. In addition to overseeing student’s finishing of senior middle mainstream education, the school also fosters its students’ musical talents. This attention to music is cause for the schools widely. The school also began offering Chinese language courses several years ago. Since Confucius Institute Metropolis Ruhr was founded in the end of 2009, it has fostered relations with the middle school and their cooperation has gone from strength to strenth. In order to cater to the requirements of the teachers and students at the school, Confucius Institute Metropolis Ruhr specially arranged for a show performed by the Shanghai Jiao Tong University “Three Tours” art troupe to place at the school.

 

On the night of the show took, it was cold and there was drizzle, in the air a cause for the organizers to be somewhat worried. However, at just under half hour before the show would start, the music hall at the school was filled with an audience of over 200, bringing a warm atmosphere to the space. The Chinese style decorations in the hall were a foil to the scene which featured an audience that converged like a huge extended multiethnic family. Chinese Spring Festival is a festival considered by many Germans people to be similar to “western” Christmas, a time of family reunions. They believe that Chinese years signifying animals bring fortune to all; good fortune is brought in particular by the Year of the Dragon. The dragon is an emblem of power and energy; it is certain to bring people happiness and good health.

 

Prior to the show, the Principal of Boll-Schule and Professor Xu Kuanhua, Chinese Director of Confucius Institute Metropolis Ruhr addressed the art troupe welcoming them. Professor Tang Yimin, the leader of the art troupe introduced the troupe’s structure for the audience. As the performance given by the art troupe was so wonderful, the show which was billed to last for 1 hour was extended an extra half an hour. The show served not only as a display of Chinese dance and music but also as a means for the audience to experience the uniqueness of Chinese musical instruments and their beautiful melody first hand. Many German students were eager to get their hands on the Chinese musical instruments. One girl was invited to take to the stage to try playing the Erhu- an instrument known as the “Chinese violin”. Though being hit by wrong notes, the instrument aroused the strong curiosity of the audience. It was difficult for everyone to believe that such an instrument with only two strings and such a tiny means of amplification (the small box located at the base of the instrument) could give out so beautiful melody when in the hands of the Chinese performers.

 

Following the show, the enthusiastic German students began to communicate with the members of the art troupe of Shanghai Jiao Tong University. At times they spoke Chinese and at others English or German, enhancing the pleasure of those engaged in the exchange activity. Ms. Luo Xi, a Chinese language teacher in Boll-Schule wrote to Confucius Institute Metropolis Ruhr after the show and praised the efforts of the art troupe consisting of undergraduates from Shanghai Jiao Tong University. She expressed heartfelt thanks to the Institute, organizer of this get-together activity. She felt that the show had provided a chance for her students to understand Chinese culture in close proximity. It had satisfied students at the school, who were eager to gain knowledge of Chinese. The event had greatly enriched their cultural lives. Ms. Luo Xi hopes that her students may have the chance to come into closer contact with Chinese culture in the future. (Contributed by Confucius Institute Metropolis Ruhr)