Having been there, I want to go again. It’s not in Guizhou or Xi’an, but in Guangzhou: hidden in the bustling city center.
The moment you step into the Guangzhou Cultural Center, it’s as if a corner of the veil of time is gently lifted, leading you across thousands of years of dust, and instantly placing you in the glorious and splendid Tang Dynasty. It’s also like being in the misty rain of Lingnan, a thousand years in a dream, the splendor of the two dynasties interweaves into a series of breathtaking paintings. The new museum, with its unique design concept - "ten miles of red clouds, one bay of water, eight bridges, painted boats and sixteen pavilions", has built a cultural palace that is both ancient and modern. When you step into it, every step echoes history and every glance is filled with the fragrance of art. The layout of the garden is staggered and well-organized, like a carefully choreographed piece of music. Between the ups and downs, the grandeur of the Han and Tang Dynasties and the gentleness and delicacy of Lingnan gardens complement each other, interweaving a cultural symphony that transcends time and space. Start your stroll in the Quyi Garden, which seems to be a romantic encounter between ancient opera and modern life. In the secluded paths, the melodious Cantonese opera singing can be faintly heard. They travel through the corridor of time, telling stories of love, hate, sorrow and joy. In the park, the ancient stage is perfectly integrated with modern sound, light and electricity technology, allowing people to indulge in the unique charm that belongs only to Cantonese opera in a double feast of vision and hearing.
Then we came to Guangfu Garden. This is where Cantonese culture is concentrated. Every blade of grass, every brick and tile exudes a strong Cantonese flavor. The ancient buildings tell of the diligence and wisdom of the Cantonese people, and the exquisite decorations show their love and pursuit of life. In the garden, the carefully designed landscape sketches tell the life stories of the Cantonese people. The memories about food, customs and architecture are awakened one by one at this moment. Guangxiu Garden is a completely different world. Exquisite Guangdong embroidery works, like blooming flowers, blossom in this small world. The delicate needlework and bright colors all demonstrate the unique charm of Guangdong embroidery. Every stitch and every thread embodies the hard work and emotions of the embroiderers. Here, I seem to see the inheritors of ancient skills weaving dreams and legends of beauty with their own hands. The Hanmo Garden is full of the fragrance of books. Each piece of calligraphy is as smooth as flowing clouds and water, and is free and easy. The vigorous and powerful brushstrokes and the elegant and freehand fonts make people feel the profoundness of Chinese culture. This is a gathering place for scholars and writers, and also a palace of calligraphy art. Each piece of calligraphy is either vigorous and powerful or gentle and reserved. It is not just the writing of words, but also the expression of emotions and the collision of thoughts.
Finally arrive at the Public Cultural Center. This is where modernity meets tradition. Here, you can see the Cantonese opera traditional costume exhibition, where the colorful costumes seem to be telling the glorious history of Cantonese opera; you can also appreciate the 100-meter Huangpu landscape and humanities painting scroll, where the magnificent landscape and vivid characters make you feel as if you are in that beautiful place. The "Ancient Charm, New Style" series of exhibitions is even more eye-catching, where ancient culture and modern creativity collide to create brilliant sparks. When night fell, the wonderful performance of the short opera "Liang Zhu: Returning to Eighteen" brought the whole day's tour to a climax. On the stage, the actors recreated the love story that has been passed down through the ages with superb acting skills and affectionate interpretation. The lights are bright, the music is melodious, the singing is graceful... everything seems so harmonious and beautiful. Finally, I want to say that if you haven't been to Guangzhou Cultural Center, then you really should take some time to come here and take a look. Believe me, the moment you cross that threshold, you will be deeply attracted by the charm of this place and will not want to leave.
Address: No. 288 Xinqiao Middle Road, Haizhu District, Guangzhou Transportation: Guangzhou Metro Line 3 Datang Subway Station Exit B, then walk to