On the occasion of the Mid-Autumn Festival, on September 16, a cultural preservation courtyard "Fude Nunnery" on the west side of the Drum Tower opened its doors to welcome guests, and a pop-up event of "bell and drum rest, seeking happiness and safety" was held lively. Citizens and tourists can not only watch the rabbit here, make moon cakes, knead clay, play with flowers, but also dress up in Peking Opera and paint their faces to take pictures, and have a traditional Mid-Autumn Festival.
Walking through the Zhonglouwan Hutong, a 6-meter-high inflatable rabbit at the entrance of the courtyard of Fude Nunnery is very conspicuous, attracting many tourists to come forward to take a group photo. On the table at the door, all kinds of rabbits hand-painted by Zhang Zhongqiang, the inheritor of Beijing clay sculptures, are placed together in a staggered manner, and the central axis series, the 24 solar terms series, and the zodiac series are all beautiful.
"In the past, when the Mid-Autumn Festival was celebrated in the capital, it was important to worship the rabbit master." An old Beijing uncle said. Many foreign tourists do not understand the origin of the rabbit, Zhang Zhongqiang patiently explained: "The rabbit is the product of the old Beijingers' artistry, personification and even deification of the jade rabbit, which represents people's yearning and pursuit of health, peace and auspiciousness. With the passage of time, the rabbit has gradually become a cultural symbol and a characteristic folk handicraft in Beijing. ”
The reporter noticed that the "Fude Nunnery" located at the foot of the drum tower is a regular courtyard building with a history of more than 300 years. As soon as you enter the courtyard gate, you can see eye-catching guides posted on the walls and ground to help visitors find the best photo spots. Everywhere in the courtyard, people raised their heads to take pictures with their mobile phones. Against the background of the blue sky and white clouds, the red walls and golden tiles of the drum tower and the bell tower shine brightly, which is particularly solemn and gorgeous.
After taking the photo, the tourists took their eyes back, and the tourists were pleasantly surprised to find that several houses also had "holes". Liu Xinyang, a young inheritor of Peking Opera, is holding a special performance of the quintessence of Peking Opera in the east wing, and Liu Xinyang, a young inheritor of Peking Opera, performs excerpts from "Dingjun Mountain" for the audience. After listening to the play, the two foreign tourists sat down to experience the Peking Opera hook face, "Is this still me?" The two looked in the mirror and said in surprise.
"It's rare to hear an artist sing so closely!" Chen Wei, a resident of Shichahai, was a fan of the opera, felt the warm atmosphere of the scene, and he also improvised and sang the Beijing opera "Yunshui Youyou" and the minor tune "Zhaohuatai" on the spot, both of which were excerpts related to the moon, which won bursts of applause from the scene.
In the main room and the west wing, exquisite works such as intangible cultural heritage paper flipping, lacquer craft, and leather art are displayed, and Beijing's time-honored Fuhua Zhai Dumpling Shop also brings special court cakes to attract tourists to stop and taste.
In the center of the courtyard, many children were attracted by a pile of interesting clay works, and several parents were taking their children to make the "National Treasure" series of works authorized by the National Museum. Among them, "Pisces Brush Wash" and "Jade Pig Dragon" are the most popular. Under the guidance of the teacher, the children followed the instructions of the drawings and pinched it in a few moments. "I can make my own 'National Treasure'!" A child was excited.
The reporter learned that the exhibition and performance activities of Fude Nunnery will continue until the National Day holiday.
Image source: Courtesy of Deyuan Xicheng
Source: Beijing Daily client
Reporter: Yang Tianyue
Process editor: U071