Shaoxing, a city renowned for its intangible cultural heritage, made its way into Fudan University recently. The Meet Shaoxing event, showcasing the city's cultural heritage and signature dishes, kicked off on the eastern lawn of Guanghua Building on December 19.
The food stalls on the eastern lawn of Guanghua Building were bustling, with fresh ingredients ready for cooking, offering a satisfying winter experience. Long queues formed at each stall even before the event was announced open. The aromatic smell from steaming buns and sponge cakes have attracted a lot of Fudaners queuing up in the freezing weather.
Twelve stalls offered over 20 Shaoxing specialties for free tasting. Dishes like stir-fried rice cakes, spring rolls with braised pork head meat filling, chicken skewers, and handmade soup dumplings captivated the crowd.
Wu Di, a 3rd-year undergraduate student, was one of the first to taste the steamed buns, finding them exceptionally delicious. I love the bustling, lively atmosphere here, as if I were at a real food fair.
Stalls that promoted specialties from Shengzhou and Xinchang, two counties within Shaoxing, introduced Fudaners to locally produced fir nuts, dried sweet potatoes, peanuts and Buddha Longjing tea.
Meanwhile, performances of Yue Opera, the second largest opera in China, originated from Shengzhou, captivated Fudaners with beautiful singing and elegant expressiveness. Classic Yue Opera arias like Sister Lin Falls from the Sky, a famous ballad from A Dream of Red Mansion, one of China’s four great classic operas, and Bid Farewell in Eighteen Miles, a classic ballad of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai (also called The Eastern Romeo and Juliet or Butterfly Lovers) were performed.
Nan Shen, a 3rd-year undergraduate student, and Xu He, a 2nd-year undergraduate student, are both from Shaoxing. They were moved by the performances and felt proud that Yue Opera, one of the most popular cultural assets from their hometown could be performed in Fudan.
On the first floor of the east wing of Guanghua Building, traditional crafts like paper-cutting, woodblock printing, and classical Chinese paintings by young artists highlighted Shaoxing's commitment to cultural preservation and education.
In the evening, Xiaobaihua Yue Opera Troupe from Shaoxing performed the complete version of the Yue Opera Butterfly Lovers, which lasted nearly 3 hours, with acclaimed Yue Opera performers starring the two protagonists. This opera performance bridged the gap between the young students and Yue Opera, enriching their understanding of this traditional art form.
The show stroke a chord with overseas students as well. Fen Huang, a Singaporean 2nd-year student from the School of Journalism, was deeply moved by the artists' sublime performance and the hauntingly beautiful music. I had tears in my eyes. I cried for this love story's sad ending is for this beautiful love story. It made my heart skip a beat.
Ker En Ang, from Malaysia, studying Chinese Language and Literature, appreciated the opera's intricate art form, especially the artists' graceful gestures and expressive singing. They walked, sat and rolled up their long sleeves with elegance, and their acting brought the audience aesthetic pleasure.
Filip Komšić, a Croatian student from the Master in Finance program praised the harmonious blend of music, visuals, and the artists' flawless performance. After seeing this opera, I have added Shaoxing to my list of travel destinations. I'd like to find out more about Shaoxing's culture.
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Presented by Fudan University Media Center
Writer: Yu Zhehao
Editor: Li Yijie, Wang Mengqi
Photographers: Cheng Zhao, Chi Dongzheng, Wang Yiqin, Liao Heng
Videographers: Qi Xinru, Luo Pengfei
Designer: Ling Yiqi
