NAGA China Guqin Culture Tour, October 2006
Two major international guqin events and sightseeing in China
Sign up now, deadline is August 15th
Dear Qin Friends,
NAGA's recent guqin outings have been very successful. Now NAGA is planning trips to China for members to attend two major international guqin events and to visit heritage sites in Beijing and Sichuan. Representatives and master players of major qin schools, qin players, makers and scholars from all of the world will be there. This is a good chance to meet qin people you have heard of from CDs, TV and the Internet.
We hope that through these events, qin music and culture will be further supported and more widely disseminated, and that the exchange of qin music among qin musicians will be further promoted. NAGA members from all of over world will be able to meet in person to visit and appreciate the beautiful sites of China, at the same time enjoying qin music.
The events are described below.
Beijing International Qin Music Week 2006 每 dedicated to the memory of qin master Wu Jinglue, October 16th每19th, Beijing
2006 is the third year since UNESCO proclaimed the art of qin music to be one of the ※Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity§. This year sees the centenary of the birth of qin master Wu Jinglue. To further promote qin music and culture, the Central Conservatory of Music, the China Conservatory of Music and the Chinese Academy of Arts have decided to hold the ※Beijing Week of Qin Music Culture 2006 and Commemoration of Qin Master Wu Jinglue's Centennial Birthday§ on October 16th to 19th.
This carefully planned event addresses many areas of qin music and its culture, including academic research, musical creation and performance. The program will include a gathering of qin musicians and various activities to commemorate qin master Wu Jinglue of the Yushan school, embracing: a symposium, lectures, concerts, workshops, multi-media displays and exhibitions, etc. It is expected that many qin musicians, aficionados, scholars and specialists will gather in Beijing to share their experiences and talents, and to exchange views and information about qin music and its culture.
Chengdu 2006 每 Cultural Festivals for the Chinese Guqin and ZHUO Wenjun, October 21st每23rd, Qionglai (near Chengdu), Sichuan
A Chinese guqin festival is to be held on 21, 22 and 23 October at Qionglai, the home town of ZHUO Wenjun, a famous and gifted female scholar of the Western Han Dynasty. Guqin masters from China and abroad, representatives of qin societies and schools of playing and scholars researching and studying ZHUO Wenjun's culture will gather at Qionglai to enjoy the developing fruits of the ethnic cultural inheritance.
Qionglai, called Linqiong in ancient times, is located on the southwest edge of Chengdu. Qionglai has many places of interest for the humanities and a history and culture of profound hidden depth. Within its boundaries there are 14 important protected cultural units at national, provincial and Chengdu City levels. The site of the Tang Dynasty Gong Yao (Gong Potteries) and the Southern Song stone pagoda at the Shita Si, both of which are key cultural relics protected by the State, are regarded by experts as priceless treasures; the Wenjun Well, a Western Han site, and the Huilan Ta, the second tallest brick pagoda in China, both draw cries of admiration from visitors.
Qionglai has developed with authenticity the ancient poetic perfection of the lines about SIMA Xiangru and ZHUO Wenjun: ※A song of the phoenix seeking his mate, and a qin song searching for cognoscenti§, causing Qionglai to become the most classic place in the East for the birth of love stories. The organisers will do their utmost to bring to this Festival of the Art of the Guqin rich artistic activities, academic exchanges displays and cultural visits:
I. 21 October: Morning: Opening Ceremony for the Chengdu 2006 每 Cultural Festivals for the Chinese Guqin and ZHUO Wenjun§; Afternoon: a symposium on the art of the guqin will be held in Qionglai's Wenjun Park; Evening: An ※Autumn Moon Qin Meeting at Wenjun's Native Place§ will be held in Qionglai's Wenjun Park.
II. 22 October: A full day's tour is being arranged for our guests to see the State-level scenic areas of Mount Tiantai and the ancient village of Pingle.
III. 23 October: A symposium on the culture of ZHUO Wenjun will be held in Qionglai's Wenjun Park, with displays of traditional popular culture on Dabei Jie, Qionglai; in the afternoon, artists of the guqin will go to the Qionglai No. 1 Middle School for guqin performances, study and exchanges at a ※Qin and Se Campus Visit§. Also in the afternoon artistic performances will be held at a ※Pair of Phoenixes Arrive at Lingong 每 a Waterside Concert of Song§ in the ancient village of Pingle in Qionglai.
In addition to the two major events, participants can use the opportunity to sightsee in Beijing, Chengdu, Jiuzhaigou valley etc.
Notes for attendees
1. Participants must be NAGA members(
if you are on the qinexam-list@lists.guqin.org list).
It is never late to become a member, please fill out the form and subscribe free of charge http://www.chineseculture.net/guqin/joinus.html
2. Participants will be expected to organize their own activities. They can decide which qin events they will attend, and customize their travel plan accordingly. Participants will be responsible for all of their own expenses and shared common service fees (if any) related to these outings.
3. NAGA only provides information and make connections if needed. We cannot accept any liability or provide any additional service, whether or not it is related to this tour.
4. Since numbers are limited, NAGA reserves the right to select or reject attendees, should the number of applicants exceed the number of available places.
5. Please email us at info at guqin.org no later than August 15th, indicating which
items you are interested in, which days you are available, the location you
travel will from, your experience on qin and your bio. We will create an
internal discussion list.
North American Guqin Association
http://www.guqin.org
North
American Guqin Association