Inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2009, Xi'an Drum Music offered spectators an audio and visual feast while starting a large-scale cultural performance for China's National Pavilion Day at Expo 2025 Osaka in Japan on July 11.
Xi'an Drum Music is a major music genre combining percussion and wind music, dating back to the Sui Dynasty (581-618).
"It's an amazing show. I really like the clothes, [they're] very beautiful, [and also] the instruments. This was my first time when I saw such an amazing Chinese performance, so I really appreciate that," said Maria, a visitor from Russia.
The China Pavilion, one of the largest foreign self-built pavilions, covers approximately 3,500 square meters. Inspired by traditional Chinese calligraphy scrolls, the pavilion's architectural design embodies the theme of "Building a Community of Life for Man and Nature -- Future Society of Green Development."
The China Pavilion has hosted over 20 cultural events featuring provinces and cities, enterprises and thematic exhibitions. Wu Shengrong, director of the China Pavilion, said that since its opening on April 13, the pavilion has welcomed around 800,000 visitors from around the world.
Running from April 13 to Oct. 13, the expo was themed "Designing Future Society for Our Lives."
Traditional Chinese drum music wows spectators at Osaka Expo
U.S. stocks finished slightly higher on Monday, staging a late-session recovery as investors navigated a volatile landscape marked by a criminal probe into the Federal Reserve leadership.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 86.13 points, or 0.17 percent, to 49,590.2. The S&P 500 added 10.99 points, or 0.16 percent, to 6,977.27. The Nasdaq Composite Index increased by 62.56 points, or 0.26 percent, to 23,733.9. Despite the positive close, the market experienced significant intraday turbulence, with the Dow dropping nearly 500 points at its session lows.
Nine of the 11 primary S&P 500 sectors ended in positive territory. Consumer staples and industrials led the gainers, rising 1.42 percent and 0.75 percent, respectively. Financials and energy were the primary laggards, declining 0.8 percent and 0.66 percent.
Market sentiment was initially shaken by an announcement on Sunday from Fed Chair Jerome Powell, who confirmed that federal prosecutors are investigating him over the Fed's multi-billion-dollar project to renovate its headquarters. Powell characterized the probe as an attempt by the Trump administration to compromise the Fed's independence.
Further weighing on the financial sector was a proposal by U.S. President Donald Trump to cap credit card interest rates at 10 percent for one year, which triggered a sell-off in banking stocks amid concerns over restricted lending and reduced profitability. Capital One shares plummeted 6.42 percent, while Citigroup, JPMorgan and Bank of America also recorded losses.
In contrast, retail giant Walmart led the Dow's advance, climbing 3 percent following news of its upcoming inclusion in the Nasdaq 100 index. The company also announced a strategic partnership with Google's Gemini AI to enhance the digital shopping experience.
Investors are awaiting Tuesday's release of the U.S. consumer price index for December 2025. Following last week's cooling labor market data, market participants increasingly expect the Fed to maintain interest rates at their current levels during the upcoming January meeting.
U.S. stocks close higher amid criminal probe into Fed chair Powell
