Chinese youth give speeches on cultural confidence
China Daily
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Speakers pose for a group photo at the LANNG Art Center of Langyuan Park in Beijing on Oct 25, 2020. (Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn)

To reiterate the lineage of Chinese heritage and cultural confidence, the first youth keynote speech of FlagTalk took place last Sunday in Beijing. In the presence of more than 300 audience members, nine teenaged leaders from around China shared their stories promoting Chinese culture.

Hui Jin from Shanghai Theatre Academy thrives to reinterpret Chinese historical stories on global art platforms. Zhang Yandi, a member of the millennial generation, integrates an intangible cultural heritage, the antler chair, with modern design.

Xu Jiaxing made a point of reciting ancient Chinese poetry to truly appreciate it, with the example of the well-known classic In the Silence of the Night by poetic genius Li Bai.

Li Jing, Du Hongyi and Wang Anqi, together with other speakers, offered their perspectives on traditional Chinese clothing, character, painting, dialects and architecture.

Children learn to play the Steel Tongue Drum, a traditional musical instrument inspired by Chinese chimes of the Western Zhou Dynasty (1100-771 BC). (Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn)

This year's Chongyang Festival, or Double Ninth Festival, also fell on Oct 25. A market fair featuring a variety of cultural products at Langyuan Park attracted many children to observe traditional handicraft, or make a festive sachet for their grandparents – a token of love and appreciation.