8

 On August 8, the 19th session of the Dalian Minjin Cultural Lecture Series took place at the World Music Culture Museum, where an immersive tour and in-depth lecture combined to create a heartwarming cultural experience. Leveraging its rich collections, the museum hosted the event with founder Zhang Jingxuan participating throughout, joining nearly 160 Minjin members and members of the public for a rendezvous with Sino-Russian art.

The event commenced with attendees strolling through the museum's ten thematic exhibition zones, from millennia-old ethnic instruments to phonographs and pianos that had witnessed the evolution of sound transmission. Each artefact narrated the flow of musical culture. A specially curated exhibition of oil paintings from the Repin Academy of Arts allowed visitors to feel the pulse of Russian art through light, shadow, and colour. This space transcends a mere museum; it serves as a bridge connecting Chinese and Russian cultures, inviting each visitor to experience the profound essence of "Music is born of heaven; etiquette is shaped by earth" through their journey.

Following the tour, two substantive lectures unfolded. Mi Xue, a member of the China Association for Promoting Democracy and Associate Professor at Dalian University of Foreign Languages' International Art College, skillfully traced the historical panorama of Russian piano music. From the distinctive national melodies to the technical subtleties, from Tchaikovsky's romanticism to Rachmaninoff's profound depth, she guided the audience through classic pieces, revealing the national spirit flowing through Russian music.

Huang Yin, Vice President of the Dalian Minjin Kaiming Art Academy and faculty member at Dalian University of Technology, shifted focus to the visual arts. She chronicled the glorious journey of Russian fine art, delved into the century-old legacy of the Repin Academy, and guided attendees through an immersive appreciation of masterpieces by Repin and others. The power and warmth of "Realism" resonated deeply with all present.

Audience members marvelled: "Attending an art lecture in a museum feels like conversing across time with history and the masters themselves." This innovative "tour + lecture" format not only deepened understanding of the cultural roots of Russian art but also ignited a desire to explore world cultures.

As a national-level museum dedicated to music and culture, we firmly believe that "falling in love with a city begins at its museums." Moving forward, the World Music and Culture Museum will continue collaborating with diverse partners to build cultural exchange platforms through increasingly varied formats. We aim for every visitor to broaden their horizons through artistic immersion and experience the allure of global culture.

(This event specially commemorates the 80th anniversary of the China Association for Promoting Democracy and serves as a signature public-benefit initiative for the 2025 China-Russia Year of Culture. We extend our gratitude to the Municipal Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and the Municipal Committee of the China Association for Promoting Democracy for their guidance and support!)