AGAINST the charming backdrop of a colourful mural by local artist, George Simon, the elegantly dressed musicians took their enraptured audience to a world of languid days beside a gurgling stream as they swayed in consonance with the music, their movements graceful as a gazelle’s.
The picturesque scene at reference unfolded recently when the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport collaborated with the Embassy of the Peoples Republic of China to present an evening of Chinese Cultural Music at the Umana Yana, on upper High Street, Kingston.
The night opened with ‘Xi Yang’ and ‘Rising Higher Step by Step’, Folk Music ensembles which featured the music of the Dulcimer, the Erhu, the Guzheng and the Pipa, all musical instruments common to the Chinese culture.
Many solos were performed during the course of the evening, as each instrument had pieces written specifically for it.
Particularly fascinating were the Pipa solos, namely, ‘The Ambush’ and the ‘Fei Hua Dian Cui’. The Pipa is a four-stringed instrument, the sound of which was perfectly likened by one ancient Chinese poet to “a shower of pearls on a jade plate.”
Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony, in his opening remarks, lauded the occasion, while noting that Guyana has had a strong relationship with China, going all the way back to June 1972 when the two countries formally established diplomatic ties,  or perhaps as far back as 1953 with the advent of Chinese immigration.
He said he was particularly pleased that the ties are growing ever stronger, primarily at the political level, where we have signed many a mutually beneficial agreement.
Among the many benefits Guyana has derived over the years from the Chinese government and people, he said, were visits by teams of acrobats on at least two occasions he can recall, this being in 2007 and 2009; the hosting of many an exhibition by the Chinese mission here; the loan of coaches to train people in various disciplines of sports; and the donation of various pieces of sport equipment.
In closing, he expressed the hope that we would have a more expansive and deeper collaboration in all areas, and exhorted the audience to reflect on the strong cultural influences that have shaped the Chinese people.
Ambassador of the Peoples Republic of China, Mr Yu Wenzhe said that though China and Guyana are far apart, our peoples are close, largely due to the people-to-people exchanges they both enjoy.
These cultural and other exchanges between our two countries, he said, in no small measure help promote and preserve their shared amity. As he observed in closing, music knows no boundaries in bringing people together.
Also present at the function was Director of Culture, Dr James Rose.