A group of international students have been invited to northwest China's Weinan City to enjoy first-hand the traditional folk musical performances and catch a glimpse of part of the country's dazzling intangible cultural heritage.

This series of activities were part of the just-concluded cultural study tour "Generation Z 2023: The Future of the Silk Road," which gathered students from seven countries to travel around the ancient Silk Road in China and explore the Chinese culture along the route.
Organized by the China Public Relations Association, the two-week program featuring performances, exhibitions, and interactive workshops offered young people from other parts of the world an opportunity to visit cities like Dunhuang, Luoyang, and Weinan, all of which have rich historical and cultural backgrounds.

In Weinan City, Shaanxi Province, the Gen Z students were welcomed by a fully immersive music feast.
Aside from its beautiful scenery, the city of Weinan is hailed as one of the most important cradles of Chinese civilization. It has a wide variety of intangible cultural heritage, including Huayin Laoqiang, which some call the ancient Rock and Roll of the East, and Donglei shangluogu - the dance of beating gongs and drums by villagers of the Donglei Village, as well as leather shadow puppetry.

Huayin Laoqiang, or literally translates to Huayin old tune, is comprised of energetic folk music that has roots dating back to over 2,000 years. It features high-pitch singing, accompanied by a group of traditional Chinese instruments. People say the musicians are roaring rather than singing, a show of northwest China's raw folk customs.

The old tune originated in the town of Huayin, a fishing and farming village near the Yellow River in Shaanxi, which explains why the musicians are dressed in simple costumes singing rousing choruses and often times, each playing a traditional instrument, including yueqin, erhu, lute, fiddle, and even a wooden bench. They are telling their lively stories of rural life.

"With the performance, it made me feel so energetic, because the performance was really nice. It was interesting to see old people performing with so much energy, and with so much passion. I think they really have their heart to preserve their culture, and I think I've learnt a lot from that," said Syton Peter Chawinga, a Malawian student at Shanghai International Studies University (SISU).

"I really really really enjoy seeing them (performing). I took some videos and put in my YouTube channel and I mentioned, 'I wish in my country would be a lot of people who are enjoying their every moment'," said Tereza Hayrapetyan, another SISU student from Armenia.
Donglei Shangluogu, the dance of beating gongs and drums by villagers of the Donglei Village, was another highlight of the trip. It was performed in ancient times during sacrifice rituals. Performers are dressed in exaggerated costumes, some wearing chicken feathers on their hat. At the highest point, they even jump on the drum and strike it extra hard.

"This performance is mainly ancient and weird. It has this strange atmosphere. You can see that the hat is different from a normal one. You go up on the drum during high times. We strike it really hard," said Ma Duxue, a Donglei Shangluogu performer.
The city of Weinan now has 17 national-level cultural heritages with 17 national-level inheritors and 118 provincial-level inheritors. Some of the arts forms, including Huayin Old Tune and leather shadow puppetry, have been performed in East and Southeast Asia, Europe, America, among other international stages, adding the Weinan art element to the cultural exchange part of the Belt and Road Initiative.
Local artists say they love to see foreign audiences enjoying their performances and they're looking forward to an even broader stage for their own culture.

"I think it's a special opportunity for me to interact with Gen Z students, coming to this interesting place and experiencing this interesting music. Everyone can get a sense that the 'rural folk music' can also be enjoyable, and on fire. Young folks really like it. This is the root to our culture," said Yang Yibo, a composer at China National Opera and Dance Drama Theater.
The cultural tour also invited calligraphers, artists, musicians, culinary masters, and sculptors to guide young people from China and abroad to explore many aspects of Chinese culture.

Organizers hope the young people, as a driving force in promoting global sustainable development, will help foster closer ties and more cultural exchanges liking China and other countries and civilizations and inject more impetus into the construction of the Belt and Road Initiative.