China News Service, Paris, September 13th. The exhibition "Feasting for Ten Thousand Years - A Number on Ancient Chinese Food Culture", co-organized by the Chinese Cultural Center in Paris and the National Museum of China, opened on the 10th local time at the Chinese Cultural Center in Paris.
Nearly a hundred guests attended the opening event, including Chen Li and his wife, Minister of the Chinese Embassy in France, Ding Pengbo, Deputy Director of the National Museum of China, Wang Yin, Cultural Counselor of the Chinese Embassy in France, Zhu Xiaoyun, Deputy Director of the Chinese Cultural Center in Paris, Joël Bellassen, Sinologist and Honorary General Superintendent of Chinese Language at the French Ministry of National Education, and Josiane Gaude, First Deputy Governor of the 7th District of Paris.
Zhu Xiaoyun said in his welcome speech that food is often the simplest and most natural reason to approach a strange culture. Chinese food embodies the Chinese people's understanding of nature, the four seasons, family, etiquette and the beauty of differences, and France also values table culture. She pointed out that the Chinese Cultural Center in Paris has always actively promoted cross-cultural dialogue on the outstanding cultural heritage of China and France and explored contemporary expressions of Chinese traditional culture. With the help of digital technology, this exhibition is a continuation of this exploration, allowing the French public to understand the collections of Chinese museums and get closer to the famous but immovable Chinese cultural heritage.
Ding Pengbo said in his speech that the cultural and museum institutions of China and France have maintained close cooperation for a long time, using exhibitions as a carrier to enhance friendly exchanges and mutual understanding between the two countries. The National Museum of China has always been committed to promoting exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations and telling the story of China. In recent years, the National Museum of China has attached great importance to cultural exchanges with France, and has jointly organized a number of high-quality exhibitions with the Chinese Cultural Center in Paris, accumulating a solid foundation for cooperation. We hope to take this cooperation as an opportunity to give full play to the resources and professional advantages of both parties, explore innovative cooperation models, and inject more lasting and profound humanistic impetus into the China-France comprehensive strategic partnership.
Bai Lesan said that food is an important element of human identity, just like language and the basic concepts formed in the environment in which an individual is raised. China and France are the few countries that have elevated their diet to a "philosophical" level and formed a rich multicultural tradition. He pointed out that this exhibition, held in Paris, has cross-cultural significance. French audiences can learn about Chinese food culture through the exhibition and discover the similarities between Chinese and French cultures.
Minister Chen Li announced the official opening of the exhibition. This exhibition is divided into four units: "The Way of Cooking", "Light and Beautiful Utensils", "The Art of Banquets" and "Elegance of Banquets". It uses more than 30 pieces (sets) of food and beverage artworks with distinctive characteristics and rich connotations as carriers, combined with digital technologies such as virtual reality, light and shadow animation, and scent players. From multiple perspectives including ingredients, utensils, techniques, aesthetics, etiquette, etc., the audience is led to a multi-sensory and immersive experience of the daily life full of fireworks of ancient Chinese people, to appreciate the development, changes and cultural connotation of ancient Chinese food, and to understand the life ideals and spiritual pursuits of the Chinese nation.
The exhibition will last until November 10th.
