The 2023 marks the tenth anniversary of the proposal for jointly building the Belt and Road initiative. From October 13th to October 17th, Yuexiu District will unveil the highly anticipated 2023 Maritime Silk Road Cultural Festival, a five-day extravaganza filled with continuous excitement.

Linking five significant historical sites, a tourist route of the Maritime Silk Road is introduced

Among the first batch of historical sites of the Maritime Silk Road by the National Cultural Heritage Administration, Yuexiu District boasts five out of the six listed historical sites in Guangzhou. These sites include the Mausoleum of the Nanyue King, the palace of the Southern Yue State, the Light Tower Minaret of the Huaisheng Mosque, the Abi Waqqas Mosque and Tomb, and the Guangxiao Temple.

During the festival, Yuexiu District will introduce a tourist route that connects these five major historical sites with artistic photographical sites, showcasing the charm of Maritime Silk Road culture through exhibitions, interactive performances, and other forms of expression. The festival will delve into the historical stories of these sites, such as presenting live action role playing (LARP) themed Maritime Silk Road plays and organizing city walks of the same theme. "Cultural ambassadors" for the Maritime Silk Road will be recruited, which invites young people from Hong Kong, Macau, the general public, and foreign visitors to embark on a journey through centuries with a diverse and enriching cultural experience.

Four magnificent venues with distinctive activities

The current cultural festival will also feature four main venues, each with its own unique characteristics, including the Cultural and Artistic Main Venue, the Green and Beautiful Sub-venue, the Charming Sub-venue, and the Ancient Style Sub-venue.

The Cultural and Artistic Main Venue will be set in 686 Creative Park built by Guangdong Radio and Television and GZCCI Group, where a series of colorful events such as the opening ceremony and special performances will be put on stage. Visitors will have the opportunity to witness the exotic charm of countries along the Maritime Silk Road and experience the exchange and collision of Chinese and Western cultures and arts.

Creating an extraordinary Maritime Silk Road Night

Inspired by the bustling night markets of ancient Guangzhou during the Song Dynasty (960-1927) that flourished due to the business opportunities brought by the ancient Maritime Silk Road, the festival has planned a series of "night experiences" including night exhibitions, night tours, night talks, night markets, night entertainment, night shopping, and night touring.

The night market is based on the ancient Guangzhou Fanfang, where a retro-themed cultural and creative market will be set up in the square of the Nan Yue Ancestor Hall. An immersive experience of wandering through a thousand-year-old Fanfang in the Tang and Song Dynasties with traditional Chinese clothing Hanfu will be also available for the public.

The festival will also invite overseas exhibitors from the 134th Canton Fair to visit Yuexiu District, jointly experiencing Maritime Silk Road culture, Cantonese cuisine, and the commercial atmosphere, while appreciating the charm and elegance of the ancient and modern Yuexiu.

2023海丝文化节在广州越秀开启

今年是共建“一带一路”倡议提出十周年。10月13日至10月17日，越秀区将重磅推出2023年海丝文化节，一连5天精彩不断。

一条海丝游径串起5大史迹

在国家文物局公布的“海上丝绸之路·中国史迹”首批申遗遗产点名单中，广州6处史迹有5处在越秀区，分别为南越文王墓、南越国宫署遗址、怀圣寺光塔、清真先贤古墓、光孝寺。

活动期间，越秀区推出一条串联五大海丝史迹点的旅游线路，并设置艺术打卡装置，通过展览展示、互动表演等形式彰显海丝文化魅力。活动将深挖史迹点的历史故事，打造海丝主题剧本游，组织海丝游径city walk，招募海丝文化“品鉴官”，邀请港澳青年、外国友人和市民群众开启穿越千年的海丝之旅，呈献丰富多样的文化体验。

四大会场活动精彩纷呈

本次海丝文化节还将打造四大各具特色的活动场景，分别是风情海丝主会场、绿美海丝分会场、魅力海丝分会场、古风海丝分会场。

其中，风情海丝主会场设在广电城投686创意园，将举办活动开幕式、专场演出等一系列丰富多彩的活动，让观众一睹海丝沿线国家的异域风情，感受中西方文化艺术的交流与碰撞。

打造不一样的海丝奇妙夜

宋朝的广州，得益于古代海上丝绸之路带来的商机，来自外国的人们络绎不绝，夜市蓬勃兴旺。海丝文化节以此为灵感，策划了夜展、夜游、夜话、夜市、夜娱、夜购、夜赏七大“夜玩法”，打造不一样的海丝奇妙夜。

“夜市”以古广州蕃坊为原型，在南粤先贤馆广场开设海丝主题复古文创市集，打造沉浸式汉服游园体验，梦回唐宋的千年蕃坊。

系列活动还将邀请第134届广交会境外参展商走进越秀，共同体验海丝文化、广府美食和商贸氛围，感受古越今秀的风采魅力。

文 | 记者 李春炜 通讯员 詹苹苹
译 |陈萱
图 | 受访者供图