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    The Mid-Autumn Gala Festival at PNCA

    Written by: Shahnawaz Ramay
    Posted on: September 16, 2019 | | 中文

    The Mask and Feather performance (credits to PNCA on Facebook)

    The Mid-Autumn Festival was organized last night at the Pakistan National Council of Arts (PNCA) amidst a brilliant display of culture, history, friendship and entertainment. Chinese artists from the Chengdu School of Culture and Art as well as PNCA's own dance troupe came together to celebrate the moon and the harvest. The event notably featured an active participation of female artists in versatile performances.

    The mid-autumn festival is a thousand-year old event celebrating a time of harvest. It carries themes of reunion and hope, which are as unending as the round shape of the full moon. The moon is supposed to look the most beautiful during this month. Family members gather from all corners of China to reunite and make mooncakes in honor of the festival.

    Classical Chinese Instruments (credits to PNCA on Facebook)

    The opening performance was that of an instrumental song. The women wore light lavender and silver gowns, which looked ethereal against a backdrop of a full moon. The group played classical instruments that echoed a soft melodic feel, but also changed pace frequently as a way of exuding joy. Similarly, a solo opera performance by Yao Jia bid farewell to autumn with a soft and gentle voice, as if singing a lullaby to a child.

    One of the more rousing performances of the night was the acrobatic display of pouring tea from a long spout kettle. The performer twirled and threw around the kettle without spilling the tea inside. He would up the ante by making graceful turns, rotations and high kicks, all the while his kettle stood in place. This was followed by Ermalamba an all-female dance performance dedicated to one of the harsher areas of China. This performance was characterized by mainly hand movements and small movements of the feet.

    Acrobatic Tea Performance (credits to PNCA on Facebook)

    Now, it was time for the Pakistani performers to shine. The Taxila Odyssey group made a dramatic entrance, presenting candles to the audience as a sign of thanks for prosperity. They danced the Laqai, an ancient form of Attan, but also the Bharatnatyam and the Khathak. According to the narration, the dances celebrate human emotion, and chronicle the influence of art and culture in the region of Islamabad.

    "War-horse Galloping" is a 30-year-old song, high on energy and enthusiasm, which seemed to bring images of the Wild West to China. This was followed by the Jazz Magician performing disappearing acts in a flurry of petals and pyrotechnics. His endless assortment of tricks and slight of hands kept the crowd on their feet. He also came prepared with a handful of Panda toys to distribute to the crowd, much to their delight.

    Dance performance (credits to PNCA on Facebook)

    Perhaps, the best event of the night was the performer with the intricate headpiece and feathers. At first, he seemed to be performing a dance, but with a flick of his face, his face mask changed! The dancer continued to woo the crowd by descending from the stage, and changing his mask rapidly, one of which included a Spiderman mask. He ended the performance with a brilliant display of fire breathing that dazzled the crowd.

    Near the end was a martial arts performance by an all-women’s group. They came dressed in vivid red and orange outfits with symbolic war regalia. Their dance included spins, turns and an acrobat-like agility. The last performance of the night was the Jhoomer, which also celebrates a bountiful harvest in Pakistan. Performers wore Sindhi garb as they depicted the hope and happiness on harvest season, and also included beloved folk songs like Hai Jamalo.

    Although the performances were plenty and engaging, what really lacked was proper organization. With no proper pass system, the hall was overflowing with people. There were no ushers to manage the crowd. This was not only bothersome to families and women, but also to the media persons covering the event. There were also no strict guidelines on children, as most of them congregated near the stage, endangering themselves and the performers.


    As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

    Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

    Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

    YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

    Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

    Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
    The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
    January 2021









    Video message by Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed on Black Day of Indian Occupation of Kashmir



    Video message by Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed on Black Day of Indian Occupation of Kashmir, 27 October 1947, when Indian military troops forcibly occupied Kashmir illegally, claiming a fraudulent ‘Instrument of Accession’ which never existed as documented by eminent British historian Alastair Lamb! Kashmir & Palestine are examples of illegal occupation & continued Resistance to Repression! There are so many commonalities in Kashmir & Palestine: both under brutal military occupation of foreign powers, both are facing an indigenous, popular, spontaneous & widespread Resistance & Uprising, both are in violation of UN Resolutions which haven’t been implemented, both are witnessing an attempted change in the demographic balance, both are facing the use of rape as a weapon of war, both are testimony to double-standards & hypocrisy of Western powers on human rights & fundamental rights, and both conflicts have an element of racism and Islamophobia, while enduring peace, security and stability will remain elusive in both regions, South Asia & Middle East, until these issues are resolved in accordance with popular aspirations.