4-day festival features best Chinese artists

A four-day cultural exhibit will be held at the Chinese Garden in Rizal Park in Manila to mark the 12th China-Philippine Traditional Festival where a group of artists from Suzhou will perform the Kun Opera, Pingtan and Jiangnan Sizhu ensemble.

The cultural event on Feb. 23-26 was organized by the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in coordination with the Manila City government and the National Parks Development Committee.

Kun Opera was listed as one of the “masterpieces of oral and intangible heritage of humanity” by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in 2001. It has existed for hundreds of years and will be interpreted through puppetry. Pingtan of Suzhou, named the “most beautiful sound of China,” features Chinese women in cheongsam playing pipas while the Jiangnan Sizhu ensemble showcases Chinese traditional musical instruments.