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Turning up the volume on modern China – introducing the new vigor of an ancient country
11/10/07
CHINA NOW brings China to the British public
By Ji Shuangcheng (UK), and Shi Hua
In a recent survey commissioned by HSBC of over 1,800 Britons, 26% of the respondents mistook Sumo Wrestling for a Chinese sport. This shows a lamentable lack of understanding of Chinese culture among the British public, particularly a matter of concern for those large British enterprises that have vested interests in the Chinese market. Consequently, HSBC and the Swire Group along with forty other British companies with strong links in China took the initiative in creating CHINA NOW, a high-profile festival set to launch next February. During the build up to the opening of Beijing 2008, CHINA NOW will be coordinating approximately 800 events in 25 cities across the UK. And according to the organisers, this is “the largest festival of Chinese culture ever in the UK” which will be “shining a spotlight on the very best of modern China”.
Six months of celebrations
The official launch of the Festival is set for the traditional Chinese celebration of the Spring Festival next February. Six months of celebrations and events will follow, coming to a close as the excitement of Beijing 2008 builds. The opening ceremony of CHINA NOW will be marked with a fantastic fireworks show as part of the Spring Festival celebrations attended by 200,000 of London’s Chinese population. The climax of the Festival will also be marked with an impressive fireworks show and high-profile performance staged outdoors at Tower Bridge. Having greatly risen the profile of China in the UK, the British public will then cast inquisitive eyes upon China as the Beijing Olympics begin.
CHINA NOW is a festival of diversity; a collection of the very best of modern China’s art, design, cuisine, science, technology, commerce, education and sport. Aside from the Modern Chinese Design Exhibition, there will also be a Football Exchange in which young Chinese talent will have the opportunity to train in the UK; and the London Beijing Rally Race is also set to begin on the 26th of May, which is expected to finish in Beijing four weeks later. The income from all these events will be donated to charity.
On the homepage of the official CHINA NOW website, set in bright red, are the words: “Turning the volume up on modern China” – the spirit of the Festival.
Britons lack an understanding of China
Despite the fact that Britain has been home to Chinese immigrants for over 100 years, the cultural impact has only gradually made its presence felt in the last half century. However, the Chinese economic boom of recent years has made it hard to avoid the topic of “China” in the British media. All things Chinese have become a hot topic of discussion both in Parliament and over the dinner table. However, what is also clear is that British people still have a lack in understanding of this distant nation.
During July and August earlier this year, HSBC Bank, one of the Festival organisers, commissioned a well known company to conduct a survey of 1,811 British and 1,903 Chinese respondents, in order to determine the level of cross-cultural understanding of the two groups. It was found that approximately one quarter of Chinese could name Gordon Brown as the current British Prime Minster, and only 7% of Britons could name the Chinese leader. It was also found that the Chinese names with which British people are most familiar are Mao Zedong, Confucius and Jacky Chan. Furthermore, Chinese food has become virtually synonymous with Chinese culture. During the last Chinese New Year celebrations, The Times published a feature issue focusing on Chinese culture. Aimed at raising the level of understanding its readers have of modern China, the issue gave insights on Chinese culture through explanations of issues such as the origins of Chinese New Year itself and Chinese characters
Prime Minister supports Festival
CHINA NOW is attracting the attention of the British media. On the 10th of this month, The Guardian claimed that CHINA NOW is the UK’s biggest ever celebration of Chinese culture to be held in the UK. And of greater importance still, is that the Festival is not just focused in London; 25 major cities including Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool and Newcastle will also be involved in showcasing Chinese culture in the UK. These cities are not simply major centres of modern British culture, but have also been the focus of Chinese culture in the United Kingdom over the last 100 years. What the Festival really hopes to achieve is to bring a comprehensive experience of contemporary Chinese culture to the British public, which will not only include Chinese film, horticulture and martial arts, but also showcase aspects as diverse as a Hong Kong race day at Ascot and modern Chinese fashion design.
The Festival has also received the full support of Prime Minister Gordon Brown, saying: “I welcome CHINA NOW as a valuable and exciting idea to help bring our countries closer together and further develop and strengthen our relationship.”
A group of the UK business world elite have come together to ensure the success of the Festival, with HSBC Chairman, Stephen Green as the Chairman of the Board, and Swire Group Chairman, James Hughes-Hallet, as the Vice-Chairman. Stephen Perry, Chairman of the 48 Group Club, along with another 21 “Old friends form China” and representatives from a wide range of backgrounds, together have formed a formidable committee. Simon Heale, CHINA NOW Chief Executive, said in an interview with the British media that he has 22 years experience of living in Asia, and one of his dreams “is to bring a first hand experience of Chinese culture to the British public”. ?
CHINA NOW Press Archive
Publication: Global Times, China
Published: 11 October 2007
Translated by Newland UK
By Ji Shuangcheng (UK), and Shi Hua
In a recent survey commissioned by HSBC of over 1,800 Britons, 26% of the respondents mistook Sumo Wrestling for a Chinese sport. This shows a lamentable lack of understanding of Chinese culture among the British public, particularly a matter of concern for those large British enterprises that have vested interests in the Chinese market. Consequently, HSBC and the Swire Group along with forty other British companies with strong links in China took the initiative in creating CHINA NOW, a high-profile festival set to launch next February. During the build up to the opening of Beijing 2008, CHINA NOW will be coordinating approximately 800 events in 25 cities across the UK. And according to the organisers, this is “the largest festival of Chinese culture ever in the UK” which will be “shining a spotlight on the very best of modern China”.
Six months of celebrations
The official launch of the Festival is set for the traditional Chinese celebration of the Spring Festival next February. Six months of celebrations and events will follow, coming to a close as the excitement of Beijing 2008 builds. The opening ceremony of CHINA NOW will be marked with a fantastic fireworks show as part of the Spring Festival celebrations attended by 200,000 of London’s Chinese population. The climax of the Festival will also be marked with an impressive fireworks show and high-profile performance staged outdoors at Tower Bridge. Having greatly risen the profile of China in the UK, the British public will then cast inquisitive eyes upon China as the Beijing Olympics begin.
CHINA NOW is a festival of diversity; a collection of the very best of modern China’s art, design, cuisine, science, technology, commerce, education and sport. Aside from the Modern Chinese Design Exhibition, there will also be a Football Exchange in which young Chinese talent will have the opportunity to train in the UK; and the London Beijing Rally Race is also set to begin on the 26th of May, which is expected to finish in Beijing four weeks later. The income from all these events will be donated to charity.
On the homepage of the official CHINA NOW website, set in bright red, are the words: “Turning the volume up on modern China” – the spirit of the Festival.
Britons lack an understanding of China
Despite the fact that Britain has been home to Chinese immigrants for over 100 years, the cultural impact has only gradually made its presence felt in the last half century. However, the Chinese economic boom of recent years has made it hard to avoid the topic of “China” in the British media. All things Chinese have become a hot topic of discussion both in Parliament and over the dinner table. However, what is also clear is that British people still have a lack in understanding of this distant nation.
During July and August earlier this year, HSBC Bank, one of the Festival organisers, commissioned a well known company to conduct a survey of 1,811 British and 1,903 Chinese respondents, in order to determine the level of cross-cultural understanding of the two groups. It was found that approximately one quarter of Chinese could name Gordon Brown as the current British Prime Minster, and only 7% of Britons could name the Chinese leader. It was also found that the Chinese names with which British people are most familiar are Mao Zedong, Confucius and Jacky Chan. Furthermore, Chinese food has become virtually synonymous with Chinese culture. During the last Chinese New Year celebrations, The Times published a feature issue focusing on Chinese culture. Aimed at raising the level of understanding its readers have of modern China, the issue gave insights on Chinese culture through explanations of issues such as the origins of Chinese New Year itself and Chinese characters
Prime Minister supports Festival
CHINA NOW is attracting the attention of the British media. On the 10th of this month, The Guardian claimed that CHINA NOW is the UK’s biggest ever celebration of Chinese culture to be held in the UK. And of greater importance still, is that the Festival is not just focused in London; 25 major cities including Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool and Newcastle will also be involved in showcasing Chinese culture in the UK. These cities are not simply major centres of modern British culture, but have also been the focus of Chinese culture in the United Kingdom over the last 100 years. What the Festival really hopes to achieve is to bring a comprehensive experience of contemporary Chinese culture to the British public, which will not only include Chinese film, horticulture and martial arts, but also showcase aspects as diverse as a Hong Kong race day at Ascot and modern Chinese fashion design.
The Festival has also received the full support of Prime Minister Gordon Brown, saying: “I welcome CHINA NOW as a valuable and exciting idea to help bring our countries closer together and further develop and strengthen our relationship.”
A group of the UK business world elite have come together to ensure the success of the Festival, with HSBC Chairman, Stephen Green as the Chairman of the Board, and Swire Group Chairman, James Hughes-Hallet, as the Vice-Chairman. Stephen Perry, Chairman of the 48 Group Club, along with another 21 “Old friends form China” and representatives from a wide range of backgrounds, together have formed a formidable committee. Simon Heale, CHINA NOW Chief Executive, said in an interview with the British media that he has 22 years experience of living in Asia, and one of his dreams “is to bring a first hand experience of Chinese culture to the British public”. ?
CHINA NOW Press Archive
Publication: Global Times, China
Published: 11 October 2007
Translated by Newland UK
