Beijing students tell Story of China at Edinburgh Fringe Festival

EDINBURGH, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- The Story of China, a large show about Chinese culture performed by students from Beijing was staged Thursday at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Over 200 students, the youngest one only seven years old, from eight primary and secondary schools in Beijing, participated in the two-day performance organized by Beijing Municipal Commission of Education and supported by the Chinese Ministry of Culture.

The show presented Peking opera, Sichuan face changing, traditional Chinese music, martial arts and drum dances.

This is the fifth consecutive year the Story of China has been mounted at the fringe festival, the goal being for Beijing to better use the international art platform to strengthen cultural exchanges between China and Britain.

Isabel Norval, a local audience member, said: "I enjoyed the show last year and it was a totally different show. They change the programs every year. That really attracts me, and I definitely will still be there next year."

Besides the two major stage performances, the young cultural ambassadors from Beijing also interacted with passersby at parliament square along the Royal Mile.

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe, which began in 1947, is world famous for its cultural diversity and a display of avant garde art. Artists from over 60 countries and regions are expected to present more than 3,000 programs this year from Aug. 4 to 28.