Chinese Cultural Wind from Shangri-La

By Wang Yin and Zhang Jing



Chinese Cultural Wind from Shangri-La

By Wang Yin and Zhang Jing

On February 10， 2015， a Spring Festival Gala titled “China-Cambodia Ties - Happy Family”， initiated by the Publicity Department of CPC Yunnan Provincial Committee， the Information Department of Cambodia and the Chinese Embassy in Cambodia， sponsored by Yunnan Radio and Television Channel and Cambodia National TV， was held in Phnom Penh， the capital of Cambodia.

In 2014， the Lao edition of the Chinese TV serial Turbulence of the Mu Clan was broadcast in Laos via the international channel of the Yunnan Radio and Television. Unexpectedly， it provided very popular and even set of a “mini-Chinese whirlwind” in the country.

“China-made films and TV plays on love， life， family， etc. are very popular in South and Southeast Asian countries，”said Huangfu Bo， General Manager of the Yunnan Huangwei Media Co.， Ltd.

“Laos is very active in cooperation with us in importing Chinese films and TV plays. Take the Turbulence of the Mu Clan for example. As long as we get the copyright owner's permission， we can translate the works and then export them.”

Before China-made flms and TV plays gained recognition of the Southeast Asian market， China's Yunnan Province had long been making tremendous eforts in cultural exchanges.

Seeing for the First Time

Back in 2007， the Yunnan WirelessDigital TV Culture Media Co.， Ltd.（YWDTCM）， the Lao National Television and the Laos Science and Technology Development Co.， Ltd. jointly established the Lao Digital TV Co.， Ltd. Tanks to their joint efforts， the China Digital Terrestrial Multimedia Broadcast （DTMB） was successfully launched， providing 45 digital TV channels including the international and news channels of the China Central Television （CCTV）， Chinese and English channels of the Xinhua TV Asia-Pacifc and the Yunnan Radio and Television Satellite Channel and International Channel.

Five years later， DTMB basically covers the whole country， making Laos the frst to apply this digital TV terrestrial transmission standard nationwide. In 2014， DTMB was successfully launched in Cambodia. Now， work is progressing to launch DTMB in other Southeast and South Asian countries such as Myanmar， Bangladesh and Nepal.

In August 2013， the Yunnan Radio and Television International Channel was formally launched， covering more than 18 countries and regions such as Thailand，Myanmar， Laos， Vietnam， India and Pakistan via the No.5 Asia-Pacifc satellite of the Great Wall platform. It already has over 30 million subscribers.

Te large-scale Sino-Lao Spring Festival Gala was held on January 25， 2014， during which Laos formally received the signal of Yunnan Radio and Television International Channel， becoming the first foreign network to broadcast Chinese programs in Lao language there.

Later， Yunnan Radio and Television International Channel signed a cooperation agreement with the Thailand SVS Productions Co.，Ltd. With approval from the Thailand National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission（NBTC）， the Yunnan Radio and Television International Channel has finished its full coverage in Thailand， becoming the first foreign provincial network with full coverage in Thailand. Meanwhile， the Yunnan Satellite TV has been successfully incorporated as a cable TV network in the Vietnamese cities such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh， becoming the frst Chinese provincial TV media broadcasting in ASEAN countries.

Foreign film and TV works entering Southeast Asian countries inevitably have to face a language barrier - whether to use internationally accepted English or the local language. If the local language is used，should it be through subtitles or dubbing.

To make audiences regard the programs as those of their own countries，broadcasting in local language is the best choice.

“Te Yunnan TV International's plays dubbed into Lao are very good and useful for us. Through them， Laos can see， hear and understand Chinese culture，” said Bounchao Phichith， Director of the Lao National TV， in his letter to the Yunnan TV International. Te latter broadcast a number of Chinese TV plays such as Legend of Southwest Dance and Music， Jin Tailang's Happy Life and Young Justice Bao， etc.

Now， the Yunnan TV International's satellite feed covers 21 countries. It is directly linked to Lao households via ChinaSat 12 Eirp， covering four central provinces -Vientiane， Savannakhet，Luang Prabang and Champasak， and three frontier provinces - Nam Tha， Phongsali and Udomxai， with over 650，000 users. Moreover， about 100，000 people in Phnom Penh of neighboring Cambodia and the ninth special zone in northern Myanmar have access to the signals. This year， the channel has achieved seamless incorporation into the Thai television network，covering about 10 million people. Tis will enable the audience to “tune in to the channel” before “understanding the programs”.

By 2015， the Yunnan TV International broadcast 357 episodes of Chinese TV plays dubbed into Lao， including Turbulence of the Mu Clan， Legend of Southwest Dance and Music and Jin Tailang's Happy Life.

B y 2 0 1 5，the Yunnan TV International has translated and produced 357 episodes of Chinese TV plays dubbed into Lao， including Turbulence of the Mu Clan， Legend of Southwest Dance and Music and Jin Tailang's Happy Life.

Mr. Bounchao Phichith personally dubbed a role in Beijing Youth when visiting the Lao Dubbing Center of Yunnan TV International. In 2015， the center began to dub Beijing Youth that focuses on entre-preneurial stories of Chinese young people involving 12 dubbing personnel from Laos. Use of the original language will draw the audiences closer to the play to the maximum extent， its producers believe.

Stills of Smile of Angkor

On May 7， 2015， Chinese Theater， Chinese Farm， Chinese Animation by Yunnan Radio and Television Channel went on air on Lao National TV. Lao Minister of Information Culture and Sports Bosengkham （center）， Yunnan provincial governor Chen Hao （right） and Chinese ambassador to Lao Guan Huabing， jointed pushed a ball button for commencement.

The signal of Yunnan Radio and Television International Channel is received by Thailand SVS Productions Co.，Ltd.

However， not all the flm and TV works broadcast by the Yunnan TV International are made in China. For example， the largescale TV serial Legend of Southwest Dance and Music was jointly shot by Myanmar and China. At the Myanmar International Convention Centre in Naypyidaw， the Chinese and Burmese film and television companies， witnessed by the Burmese Minister for Information and Culture U Kyaw Hsan and then Yunnan Governor Li Jiheng， signed a memorandum of understanding on co-production of the TV serial Legend of Southwest Dance and Music on March 26， 2012.

Based on the historical event that Yon Chan， King of Pyu， an ancient kingdom of Burma， dispatched a “Pyu music and dance ensemble” to the Tang Dynasty in 802， this TV serial depicts the historical origin of the friendly diplomatic relations and cultural exchanges between China and Myanmar and highlights China's neighborhood diplomacy featuring amity， sincerity， mutual beneft and inclusiveness. In January 2014，the Legend of Southwest Dance and Music was broadcast in prime time by CCTV，and was greatly loved by Chinese audiences， arousing strong social interest. Later，Yunnan presented the right to broadcast the TV serial in Myanmar to the Myanma Radio and Television under the Ministry of Information. In April 2014， the TV serial was broadcast on Myanmar TV， achieving much popularity.

Since then， China's classic and outstanding animation works have begun to appear on TV in Southeast Asia.

“I can imagine that when seeing the Monkey King speaking Lao on TV， the audience will be very surprised，” said Mr. Bounchao Phichith during his visit to Yunnan in early 2015， adding： “I'm looking forward to seeing these interesting Chinese classical animated flms on TV in Laos.”

Just one month later， his expectation came true. In May 2015， the Lao National Television and Yunnan TV International cooperated in broadcasting three columns -Chinese Teatre， Chinese Farm and Chinese Animation.

Chinese classical animated films such as Making Havoc in Heaven enjoy a certain popularity among Lao audiences； many of them can quote the names of such Chinese mythic figures' names as the Monkey King and Nezha. “Chinese animations will bring a lot of joy to Lao children. Tis is really a very good project，” said Bosengkham Vongdar，Lao Minister of Information， Culture and Tourism.

The Chinese Farm is a public welfare program aimed at disseminating advanced Chinese agricultural technologies and knowledge. On January 25， 2014，the Yunnan TV International formallylaunched the signal to Laos. At the launch ceremony， Pany Yathotu， Chairman of the Lao National Congress， said she hoped the Yunnan TV International to compile a number of TV programs on Chinese agricultural technologies.

Laos is a country focused on agriculture， and so is China. In just a few decades，China has accumulated much experience in agricultural technologies and gained many patents. Benefits can be obtained from such knowledge being imparted to Lao audiences via TV to actually help Laos with agricultural modernization and improving the efciency of farming. For example， this program has broadcast a lot of content concerning poppy replacement planting such as coffee and rubber and other agricultural projects. More such programs will be broadcast.

Shangri-La Art Activities

British writer James Hilton once depicted an eternal peaceful place amid the high mountains far away in the Orient in his full-length novel Lost Horizon. It is Shangri-La.

Shangri-La is a city under the jurisdiction of the Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Yunnan Province. In Tibetan，Shangri-La means the “Sun and Moon in the Heart”. Now， people on this stretch of beautiful land are sharing the wonderful scenery of “colorful Yunnan” with Southeast Asian friends via radio， TV，magazines， evening parties， transnational cultural activities and other platforms.

In February 2015， a Spring Festival Gala titled “China-Cambodia Ties - Happy Family” was held in Phnom Penh. It was jointly sponsored by Yunnan provincial government and the Cambodian government and undertaken by the Yunnan Radio and Television and Cambodian National Television. Such wonderful programs as Fairy Dance performed by the dance troupe of Cambodian Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts and Spirit of the Peacock danced by Yang Wu， the new-generation Peacock Princess of China， vividly showed the cultural charm of Cambodia and Yunnan through body language.

In fact， from 2013， Yunnan Province began to hold large-scale Spring Festival Gala under the “Happy Family” theme with a neighboring country every year. A highgrade cultural feast was held in the capital of the neighboring country to deepen cultural exchanges and cooperation， gaining good communication effect and being highly praised by the government and people of the target country.

The event was successively held in Thailand， Laos and Cambodia， becoming more and more successful and influential. President Somsak Kitasuranont of the National Assembly of Thailand， Chairman Pany Yathotu of the Lao National Congress，Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and his wife Bun Rany and other senior leaders attended the gala and ofered high praise.

The only Chinese program performed for over 1，000 times overseas also “settled”in Southeast Asia. This is a large-scale tourist program entitled Smile of Angkor created by Yunnan Cultural Investment Group in Cambodia's Angkor. Based on a theme of the history and favor of Angkor Wat， this program reflects the features and fne tourist sights of Cambodia. Since January 2011， it has been shown over 1，000 times at a fxed spot in Angkor.

Besides these relatively elegant and formal artistic performances， there are many ordinary cultural and recreational activities loved by the masses， actually shortening the distance between the people of China and Southeast Asia.

“Melodies convey tender feelings and songs express wishes，” said Zeng Yuanxiang， Chairwoman of the Confucius Classroom of Myanmar Oriental Language and Commercial Center， at the site of“Feeling China - Contest of Chinese Songs”held in Yangon， Myanmar.

“Singing has always been a way to express feelings and wishes. From entertainment， education， cultural composition and even cultural dissemination and promotion， the function of songs has been evolving，” said Zeng. She said she believed such a singing contest would surely be an aural carnival and a cultural event strengthening friendly ties between China and Myanmar.

Facts have proved that this is indeed a popular cultural exchange activity. Although only 15 players would be able to enter the fnals， the preliminary contest was held in fve provinces - Mandalay， Yangon，Magway， Sagaing and Bago， and four states - Shan， Kachin， Kayah and Mon， with over 1，000 excellent players selected from the large numbers of singing enthusiasts.

Poster of Legend of Southwest Dance and Music

Currently， with increasingly closer exchanges between China and other countries， people also have deeper contact. Both Yunnan， a window for exchanges and cultural promotion between China and ASEAN nations， and ASEAN nations，which hope more Chinese will learn their culture， are strengthening the cooperation between mainstream media and relevant governmental publicity departments.

The regular media exchange activities held by Yunnan every year include the “Regular Exchange Visits between Media organizations from China and the Countries in the Greater Mekong Subregion”， “South and Southeast Asian Mainstream Media's Visit to Yunnan”， and“South and Southeast Asian TV Art Week”（renamed China-South and Southeast Asian TV Art Week in 2015）. Moreover，“Asian Media Executives' Visit to Yunnan”and “Overseas Chinese Media's Visit to Yunnan” were launched.

All these activities are just a beginning. Similar transnational cultural activities are still being carried out， and exchanges between China and ASEAN countries are intensifying. Under the initiative that China and ASEAN countries should jointly build a Community of Common Destiny， ties between the peoples will surely be increasingly closer.