When ethnic crafts and culture meet raucous racing

Si Shushu

Ethnic minority crafts and culture featured at the 2024 Shanghai Auto Culture Festival in Jiading District alongside the roar of the F1 Chinese Grand Prix races.

Performers from six regions in China, including Jiuzhi County of the Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Qinghai Province; Deqin County of the Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Yunnan Province; the Chuxiong Yi Ethnic Minority Autonomous Prefecture; and the Ninghua, Qingliu and Mingxi counties of Sanming City in Fujian Province, staged ethnic dancing and costume shows during the F1 Chinese Grand Prix from April 19 to 21. All six are cooperation and paired assistance regions of Jiading District, and an ethnic musical instrument exhibition was also held.

Dancers from Qingliu County performed their original Hakka dance “The Blessed Mountainous Village,” with performers carrying bamboo-woven baskets filled with rice, flowers and sweet potatoes. At times they danced with soft elegance and at others with an open zest, to portray a better-off mountainous village life.

“It’s really good that my child can broaden his horizons through watching cultural exchange events like this,” said Mei Liang, who visited the Shanghai International Circuit with the kid.

Models from Yunnan Province took to the catwalk to showcase gorgeous ethnic costumes.

“They are delicate and dazzling. I wish I could have a garment of the same style,” said Yu Tingyi, another audience.

The performance lasted about two hours and featured bamboo flutes, choral and individual singing, and dancing to offer an auditory and visual feast.

“It’s the 20th anniversary of the F1 Chinese Grand Prix and also the 20th year since Jiading District launched its cooperation and paired assistance project with Deqin County,” said Yu Xiao, an actor from Deqin County in Yunnan Province. “We carefully prepared the programs focusing on our unique ethnicity to celebrate the event.”

Introductions of cultural and tourism resources, as well as local snacks and agricultural products from the regions, were also displayed during the event.