Jack, an American youth, effortlessly maneuvers the diabolo, shifting it from left to right with a graceful wave of his hands. Guided by elderly mentors, he excels in many diabolo skills and now aims to do"dragon dance" with the diabolo - using a three-meter-long ribbon to swirl a diabolo gracefully in the air.

On the afternoon of December 16th, such cross-cultural exchanges were abundant at the community arts festival in Lijiang Garden, Panyu District, Guangzhou.

Neighborhood knows no borders: Nearly 90 countries represented with over 200 foreign residents settled

Jack, hailing from the United States, arrived in China a decade ago, harboring a deep appreciation for traditional Chinese culture and noodles. Earlier this year, he made Panyu's Lijiang Garden his home, taking on a teaching role at an art institution.

Taking morning strolls in the neighborhood, Jack observed elderly residents practicing the diabolo. Inspired, he sought guidance from Tang Zhongyuan, a diabolo master from Shaanxi. Jack aspires to merge his newfound skills with the Orff approach to music he teaches, offering children a taste of cultural fusion.

Lijiang Garden, where Jack resides, boasts a population of 45,000 with over 200 clubs of various sizes, making it one of Guangzhou's most culturally vibrant communities. According to data from the Foreigner Management Service Station on Luopu Street, over 200 foreigners from nearly 90 countries have made this community their long-term residence. They come from countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, France, South Korea, Nigeria, and Mauritius.

To showcase its diverse cultures, the community has established various activity areas, which accommodate over 3,000 people daily for exercise and artistic pursuits. Taking a morning stroll in the community, you will not only appreciate traditional performances like Peking opera, Cantonese opera, and huagu opera, but also join in fan dances with the elderly or even invite seniors for an impromptu "Winter Waltz."

Art knows no borders: 25 years of the arts festival accelerates cultural integration

Since 1997, the Lijiang Garden has hosted the community arts festival.

The 25th edition, opening on December 16th, featured over 500 residents showcasing talents in painting, calligraphy, dance, and music. Along the community's lake, more than 300 creative paintings by residents adorned the area. At the Jiang'an Cultural Square, traditional cultural delicacies like Chinese olives, sugar paintings, candied hawthorns, and dragon's beard candy captured the attention of both local and foreign children.

In the family portrait area, Gavin's family from Mauritius posed against a vibrant red Chinese backdrop. Children held red lanterns while adults clasped their hands in a congratulatory gesture, exclaiming, "Gong Xi Fa Cai (wish you enlarge your wealth)," creating a warm and familiar scene.

The highlight of the arts festival's literary and artistic performance showcased traditional Chinese performances such as Peking opera, fan dances, and qipao fashion shows. Carlos from Colombia and his friends held a "concert" on the stage, recruiting Cantonese-speaking partners after singing "The Ocean." He aims to perform the iconic Cantonese song "Glorious Years" next year.

The borderless community arts festival will continue until the end of the year, featuring art exhibitions and other series of activities.

Source: Yangcheng Evening News

外国小伙学非遗绝活空竹！广州这个无国界社区艺术节连办25年

只见美国小伙杰克双手一挥，原本上下转动的空竹瞬间从左边跳跃到右边。在七旬阿公阿婆的指导下，抖空竹、甩流星锤，打花棍，杰克已能“露一手”。他的下一个目标，是学会非物质文化遗产项目抖空竹中的绝活“盘丝舞龙”，将长达3米的彩带丝绸空竹在空中盘旋起来。

12月16日下午，在广州番禺丽江花园的社区艺术节上，这种无国界文化交流随处可见。

邻居“无国界”

近90国200余位外籍人士定居

杰克来自美国。十年前，他就来到中国，特别喜欢中国传统文化和面食。今年年初，他来到广州番禺的丽江花园定居，并在一家艺术机构担任老师。

他喜欢早上在小区散步，在看到老人们抖空竹后，他特意向来自陕西的唐忠元“拜师”。他想等学会后，和他所教的奥尔夫音乐课结合起来，让孩子们感受到文化交融的乐趣。

杰克所居住的番禺丽江花园，共有居民4.5万人，小区内有大大小小200多个社团，堪称广州最具文化氛围的大型社区之一。洛浦街外国人管理服务工作站数据显示，来自美国、加拿大、澳大利亚、英国、法国、韩国、尼日利亚、毛里求斯等近90个国家超200位外籍人士长期在该小区居住。

为充分展现小区多元文化，社区拓展出多个活动区域，每天可容纳3000余人同时进行锻炼及开展艺术活动。每天清晨沿着小区走上一圈，不仅可感受京剧、粤剧、花鼓戏等传统剧目的韵味，还可以跟着大妈们来学一段扇子舞，或者邀请大爷现场来一场“冬日华尔兹”。

艺术“无国界”

持续办25年艺术节加速文化交融

1997年起，广州丽江花园开始举办社区艺术节。

在12月16日开幕的第25届社区艺术节上，共有超500名居民展示绘画、书法、舞蹈、音乐等才艺。在小区醉心湖旁，挂上了超300幅来自居民的创意绘画作品。在江岸文化广场，鸡公榄、糖画、冰糖葫芦、龙须糖等传统文化美食吸引了中外小朋友的目光。

在全家福拍摄地，来自毛里求斯的Gavin一家五口站在大红色的中式背景下，小朋友们提着红灯笼，大人行双手抱拳礼，说“恭喜发财”，场景亲切感十足。

在艺术节的重头戏文艺汇演上，中国传统的京剧、扇子舞、旗袍秀等一一亮相。来自哥伦比亚的卡洛斯则和伙伴把舞台变成了音乐会现场,唱完一曲《海洋》后，还在现场招募起粤语搭档，他想在下一次的舞台上，用粤语唱响《光辉岁月》。

据悉，这个无国界社区艺术节将持续至年底，还有艺术作品展览等系列活动举行。

文、图丨记者 王丹阳
翻译丨刘佳慧