The cultural evening opened with a pipa solo titled "Dragon Boat," which depicts the joyful scenes of dragon boat races during the Dragon Boat Festival.

VALLETTA, May 25 (Xinhua) -- A vibrant showcase of Chinese traditional arts, including music, dance, and puppetry, was held Saturday night in Zurrieq, western Malta, to celebrate the upcoming Chinese Dragon Boat Festival.

Also known as the Duanwu Festival, the Dragon Boat Festival is celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth month in the Chinese lunar calendar. This year, it falls on May 31.

The cultural evening opened with a pipa solo titled "Dragon Boat" performed by Chinese artist Guo Mei. The classic piece, originating from the region located in the coastal area south of the Yangtze River, which is called "Jiangnan" in Chinese, depicts the joyful scenes of dragon boat races during the Dragon Boat Festival.

Artists from the Zhejiang Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Centre brought a diverse range of performances to Maltese audiences, including a water sleeve dance that combined the grace of Chinese opera and dance, a martial arts demonstration, a traditional puppetry show, and bamboo flute music. A humorous dance titled "Tortoise Serving Tea," where a dancer mimicked a tortoise offering tea through expressive movements, drew laughter and applause from the crowd.

"Today is more than just an event -- it is a vibrant expression of the strong and growing ties between our peoples," Zurrieq Mayor Rita Grima said in her opening remarks. She highlighted the significance of the Chinese artists' visit, noting that it marked an important step in strengthening the friendship between the two countries. "It reflects the spirit of openness and cooperation that defines our partnership," she added.

"It was really nice -- the music, the dance. I liked them very much," said audience Madeline Mangion Galea, who told Xinhua it was her second time experiencing Chinese performances live. She expressed hope to see more such events in the future.

"The performances were amazing and impressive," said another audience Joseph Abela. A fan of martial arts, Abela praised China as a "great and beautiful country," adding, "Unfortunately, I haven't been to China yet, but I hope to visit someday."

The event was jointly organized by the China Cultural Centre in Malta, the Zhejiang Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Centre, the Western Regional Council Malta and the Zurrieq local council.■