Cultural Exchange: CGC hosts Chinese art performance in Abuja

CGC Nigeria Limited on Monday hosted a Chinese Pingtan Art Performance in Abuja as part of efforts to enhance cultural exchange and foster people-to-people friendship between China and Nigeria.

Speaking on behalf of the company, Jiang Wei, Deputy Managing Director of CGC, said the performance by the Wuxi Pingtan Troupe from Jiangsu Province serves as both a cultural exchange and an affirmation of the enduring friendship between the Chinese and Nigerian peoples.

“Through this event, we aim to deepen cultural cooperation, promote mutual understanding, and strengthen trust between our two nations,” he said.

Also speaking, Yang Jianxing, Cultural Counsellor and Director of the China Cultural Centre, described Pingtan as a “shining pearl” among China’s over 400 traditional folk art forms.

“Originating in the water towns of Jiangnan during the Ming and Qing dynasties, Pingtan seamlessly blends the narrative depth of storytelling, the lyrical elegance of opera, and the rhythmic charm of music,” Yang said.

He noted that the Pingtan performance by the Wuxi musical troupe aims to use culture as a bridge, allowing Nigerians to experience the rich diversity of Chinese culture and the Chinese people’s pursuit of harmony.

Earlier in his remarks, Shen Jie, Deputy Director of the Wuxi Pingtan Troupe, noted that the melodies, crafted in the gentle Suzhou dialect and accompanied by the elegant tones of traditional string instruments, create a profound emotional connection.

“Each lyric paints vivid images of life, love, and history, resonating like gentle ripples in a stream,” Shen said.

The event was attended by music lovers, employees of Chinese companies, members of the diplomatic community and the Nigerian media.

Highlights of the performances by the Wuxi Pingtan Troupe included Wuxi Scenery, Family Letters from Dangkou, A lovely jasmine, and The moon over the river on a spring night, among others.