As the footsteps of the Spring Festival draw near, the “Happy Chinese New Year” event held by the city of Beijing unfolded for the 18th consecutive year, delighting local audiences from February 5th to 7th across three cities: Helsinki, Vantaa and Tampere. Showcasing the captivating charm of Chinese traditional culture, the event conveyed blessings for the Year of the Dragon against the snowy landscapes of Finland, infusing warmth into the cold winter.
“Hello, Beijing” Photography Exhibition Opens with Grandeur in Vantaa
On the afternoon of February 5th, the Finnish “Hello, Beijing” cultural exchange event opened with grandeur at Vantaa International Airport. Beijing art troupes specially brought the lovely “panda” mascot to Finland, which extended invitations to esteemed guests, including the Chinese Ambassador to Finland Wang Tongqing; Pekka Timonen, Mayor of Vantaa; Chang Lin, Level-II Bureau Rank Official from the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism; and Sami Lahdensuo, a Vice President at Finnair. They came together for the ceremonial ribbon-cutting, marking the opening of the “Hello, Beijing” Photography Exhibition and the “Global Zodiac Design Competition” Exhibition. The event also highlighted the promotion of inbound tourism to Beijing, capturing the interest of numerous international passengers who stopped by to inquire. This inaugural edition of the “Happy Chinese New Year” series in Vantaa will run until February 25th, contributing a distinctive element of culture to Vantaa Airport, a pivotal aviation hub in the Nordic region.
“Happy Chinese New Year” Enchants Helsinki
On the evening of February 5th, the Helsinki Music Hall was packed with people for the “Happy Chinese New Year” performances. The Beijing Shun Yuan Xiang Art Troupe, in collaboration with the Finnish dragon and lion dance club, delivered an enchanting performance that captivated the audience. The Torch Dance Group skillfully fused classical and contemporary dance, earning resounding applause. The traditional Chinese music piece, “Wanjiang” (meaning “a vast realm”), performed by the Girl’s Quintet of Chinese Nationality Music, heightened the atmosphere to its zenith. The song “Booming Flowers and a Full Moon” conveyed blessings and celebrated reunion. The local overseas Chinese association and student union also presented meticulously curated programs, eliciting enthusiastic applause and cheers from the audience.
For eighteen years, more than a hundred art troupes from Beijing have graced the Helsinki stage during the “Happy Chinese New Year” celebrations. They have contributed to fostering city-to-city exchanges and China-Finland cooperation, and have garnered immense popularity and affection from the citizens of Helsinki. These performances have added a vibrant touch of “China Red” to the cold winter of Helsinki.
“Joyful Dragon for a Happy Chinese New Year” Ignites Tampere
On February 7th, the vibrant celebrations of “Happy Chinese New Year” made their inaugural appearance in Tampere, Finland’s second-largest city and the largest inland city in the Nordic region. The guests, including Chinese Ambassador to Finland Wang Tongqing, Mayor of Tampere Kalervo Kummola, Deputy Mayor of Tampere Matti Helimo, and Chang Lin, Level-II Bureau Rank Official from the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, joined numerous citizens outside Tampere-talo, and ceremonially painted the eyes of the auspicious dragons of China and Finland. Dancing to the resounding drumbeats, the lively and magnificent performance of the golden dragon of the Beijing Shun Yuan Xiang Art Troupe and the red dragon from the Finnish dragon and lion dance club marked a significant moment in the continuous collaboration and exchange of dragon dance traditions between China and Finland.
Within Tampere-talo, visitors were captivated by the juxtaposition of ancient and modern aspects of Beijing showcased in the “Hello, Beijing” Photography Exhibition. The “Global Zodiac Design Competition” Exhibition drew enthusiasts of Chinese zodiac culture. Traditional crafts like lanterns and kites gained popularity among the visitors, who marveled at the intricate beauty of Beijing lanterns and the graceful flight of swallow-shaped kites, while trying their hand at crafting dragon lanterns and kites. The Beijing tourism promotion booth buzzed with activity as visitors eagerly collected travel brochures, and the dragon-themed cultural gifts crafted by the Beijing Overseas Cultural Exchange Center were swiftly claimed.
On the theater stage, the “Happy Chinese New Year” cultural performance unfolded as planned. Traditional Chinese music pieces like “Brilliance” and “Ode to Joy” held the audience captive. Dance performances such as “Ode of Mulan” and “Torch, Rekindle” brought joy to the spectators. The Nomadic delivered the song “Missing Mother”, and showcased the artistry of Xoomei (throat singing) and Morin Khuur (horsehead fiddle) in “Ten Thousand Horses Galloping Ahead”, providing a glimpse into the allure of the Inner Mongolian grasslands of China.
