COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, March 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — From February 27 to 28, the “Spring in Jiangnan • 2026 Happy Chinese New Year” Temple Fair took place at Port City Colombo, a flagship Belt and Road cooperation project developed jointly by China and Sri Lanka. The event was co-hosted by the China Cultural Center in Sri Lanka, the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism, CHEC Port City Colombo (Pvt) Ltd, the Western Province of Sri Lanka, and the Sri Lanka-China Friendship Association. Among those attending the opening ceremony were Qi Zhenhong, Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka; Anil Jayantha Fernando, Sri Lanka’s Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Finance; Muneer Mulaffer, Deputy Minister of Religious and Cultural Affairs; and Hanif Yusoof, Governor of Western Province. Members of the diplomatic corps, representatives of the Chinese business community, as well as officials from local government agencies and partner organizations also attended.
Structured around three key segments—traditional craftsmanship showcases, stage performances, and immersive cultural experiences—the temple fair featured a curated program highlighting elements of Chinese cultural heritage. Demonstrations of traditional craft and heritage practices included woodblock New Year prints, rice sculpture, sugar painting, and Xiashi lantern artistry. The program also featured puppet theatre, traditional tea ceremony demonstrations, and Wu Opera performances. A dedicated “Porcelain, Tea and the Silk Road” immersive zone added a thematic dimension to the program, inviting Sri Lankan visitors to explore aspects of China’s history and cultural exchange traditions through interactive displays.
The temple fair offered local communities an opportunity to engage directly with Chinese cultural traditions through hands-on activities and live demonstrations. The event is intended to foster closer collaboration, support continued Belt and Road cooperation, and further strengthen people-to-people exchanges between China and Sri Lanka.
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