Dubai A 38-member Chinese Muslim troupe performed the intricate ‘Eight Treasure Tea' custom and traditional dance on Wednesday, the opening night of China Cultural Days, organised by the Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais Cultural Foundation.
The troupe came from Ningxia, the autonomous region located in north-central China where the majority of the population belongs to the Hui Muslim community.
"Our customs have many aspects in common," said Bai Jun Li, the representative of the Ningxia delegation. "Ningxia is predominantly a Muslim region that has a shared history of trade with the Arab world. The region also hosts the China-Arab States Economic and Trade Forum. Apart from our economic ties, the Hui community reflects several other aspects including conservative dressing. The performances aim to promote mutual understanding."
The focus of the opening day was the traditional Chinese Eight Treasure Tea or Ba Bao Cha custom, comprising eight ingredients including green tea, dried longan fruit, rock sugar and sesame. This custom is practised widely in the Ningxia region, especially during Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha.
After the performances, Ana Gin, a Chinese expatriate employed as a sales executive in Dubai told Gulf News, that every region in China has a different tea custom. "It was a beautiful performance," she said.
Yue Bai, a visitor to the UAE from Shanghai said: "The event is a great platform for communication between Arab and Chinese traditions.
"Not many are familiar with this kind of Muslim Chinese tradition; each region or city in China differs so it was interesting to watch the performances which tend to be held only during the Chinese New Year celebrations."
Molly Wang, a retailer at Dragon Mart, Dubai who is from Shanghai said: "The UAE is home to a large Chinese community, and I am happy to attend events that promote our culture."
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Taking about the musical, Hemmat Lashin, presenter at the event and a consultant with the Confucius Institute at the University of Dubai (CIUD), said: "It's a great way to show people facets of Chinese culture." Lashin, who has been speaking Mandarin for more than 30 years and has written two books on Chinese culture, believes that most people in the UAE would like to know more about Chinese culture.
Abdul Elah Abdul Kader, Executive Manager of the Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais Cultural Foundation, said that cultural evenings help correct misconceptions. "I have been to China several times, and each time I discovered something new about the country that I didn't know before."