Musical featuring Chinese historical story makes int'l debut in Singapore

Chinese musical "Nan Kong", featuring a historical story, made its debut outside China on Oct 24 and 25 in Esplanade-Theatres on the Bay, Singapore's national performing arts center.

The musical is based on the life story of Kong Zhu, the 53rd-generation descendant of Confucius, who gave up his noble title to promote Confucian culture in Quzhou, east China's Zhejiang province, as an ordinary resident.

The two-hour performance received a standing ovation from the audience, leaving a deep impression on the local people, especially the professionals in the arts and culture sector.

"This is my first time watching a traditional Chinese musical, and I was deeply moved. I hope the musical ‘Nan Kong’ will have more and more opportunities to be seen by audience worldwide," said Mou Yat-sin, a Singaporean art industry professional.

"Both the performers and the stage design clearly demonstrate that this is a major Chinese production aimed to reach a global audience, bringing a visual and auditory feast to our Singaporean audience," said Tommy Xu, a teacher at the Shelton College International in Singapore.

Before the performance, members of the musical group held a flash mob event at Merlion Park, a landmark in Singapore. The melodious tunes echoed in the square, attracting many locals and tourists.

The musical, which debuted in 2023, blends traditional Confucian themes with modern stagecraft and has been staged more than 140 times in over 40 cities across China. Following Singapore, the group moved on to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, for performances on Monday and Tuesday.

Musical featuring Chinese historical story makes int'l debut in Singapore

Musical featuring Chinese historical story makes int'l debut in Singapore

China has delivered a significant batch of emergency humanitarian aid to Iran, consisting of 58 tonnes of urgently needed medical supplies, as Iran grapples with the consequences of the recent conflict with the United States and Israel.

The aid was formally handed over on Wednesday during a signing ceremony in Tehran between the Chinese Embassy in Iran and the Iranian Red Crescent Society. Chinese Ambassador to Iran Cong Peiwu and President of the Iranian Red Crescent Society Pir Hossein Kolivand attended the event.

Cong said that China has always been concerned about the Iranian people and will continue to work with the international community to promote the early restoration of peace and stability in the Middle East.

"This aid package, totaling 58 tonnes, consists entirely of medicines. The recent war launched by the United States and Israel has caused a major humanitarian disaster for Iran, and medicine is in urgent need. Through this assistance, we hope to demonstrate the deep friendship of the Chinese people toward the Iranian people and help them overcome these hardships as soon as possible," said Cong.

Kolivand expressed sincere gratitude to China for extending a helping hand during difficult times and for providing valuable support to Iran on various occasions.

"In addition to China's support for the Iranian government, China's humanitarian aid has also been delivered to Iran. This assistance reflects China's care and compassion for our country and people. We extend our heartfelt gratitude, with special appreciation for the delivery of nearly 60 tonnes of medicine from China," he said.

China provides emergency humanitarian aid to Iran