Di Er Xiu | Hangzhou Asian Games - Encounter Across Thousands of Years

The 19th Asian Games is about to kick off in Hangzhou, Zhejiang. A video with the theme of "Encountering Across Thousands of Years" has opened a journey of time and space dialogue in Hangzhou, Zhejiang. In Hangzhou, a city full of rhythm and vitality, Xinhua News Agency reporter Wang Di'er transformed into a woman from the Southern Song Dynasty, embarking on a "thousand year" journey with the culture of "ordering tea". Through three challenges, she was able to experience the Hangzhou Asian Games that will take place a thousand years later. The video takes us to explore not only the Asian Games, but also Hangzhou's millennium old urban heritage: classical and modern, tradition and innovation, development and precipitation.

In Hangzhou during the Southern Song Dynasty, the art of ordering tea reached a very high level. At that time, tea masters would use bamboo shoots or bamboo sticks to write poetry or draw beautiful patterns on tea leaves. This not only increases the fun of drinking tea, but also makes each cup of tea a work of art. This ancient tradition has had an interesting collision with modern coffee flower making techniques, highlighting the unique charm of Hangzhou, the city of the Asian Games that resonates with the past and present.

The theme of the first challenge is breakdancing - the first event to appear in the arena of the Asian Games this year. The Southern Song woman incarnated by Wang Di'er may not understand breakdancing, but she competes with sword dance. The classical Song Dynasty's charm and vibrant street culture present a cross generational, cultural, and artistic sense, showcasing the scene of mutual appreciation and harmonious coexistence between classical and modern.

The focus of the second challenge shifted to football. Seeing modern people playing football matches on small screens, Wang Di'er couldn't help but laugh: Isn't this Cuju? She took the wicker ball from a little boy's hand and performed it brilliantly using ancient cuju techniques. This challenge highlights the seamless connection between tradition and innovation, jointly constructing a diverse and vivid picture.

The final challenge returns to the location of the first two levels - West Lake and the Grand Canal. Both are important carriers of Chinese culture, yet each has its own style: West Lake is quiet like poetry, and the Grand Canal is bustling like song. They together form a bustling and vivid painting, making Hangzhou rich in both ancient Song rhyme and modern pulse.

The third level of searching for the traces of the Asian Games is the finishing touch. Wang Di'er found three sports related to the modern Asian Games from the 5000 year old Liangzhu cultural relics: archery, kayaking, and javelin. This not only showcases the inclusive heritage of Hangzhou as an Asian Games city, but also reminds us in a relaxed and humorous way that history is not that far away, it is right beside us, constantly coexisting harmoniously with modern life.

The fusion of ancient and modern times, as well as the integration of movement and stillness, perfectly corresponds to the poetic line "To compare West Lake to West Lake, it is always appropriate to wear light makeup and heavy makeup." Whether it is ancient tea ordering, sword dance, cuju, Liangzhu civilization, or modern flower pulling, breakdancing, football, or Asian Games events, they all blend into a unique rhythm of Hangzhou. In this Asian Games, Hangzhou showcases not only the beauty of competition, but also the beauty of culture and harmony. These challenges that span time and space allow us to truly experience the diverse charm of the Hangzhou Asian Games.

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Producer: Wang Di'er

Director: Kong Linghang, Lv Fan

Camera: Pan Wenming and Zhu Yajun

Lighting: Wang Jiaming

Script: Wang Di'er, Li Ji

Copywriting: Wang Fengfeng, Wang Yiduo, Yang Haowei

Editing: Wang Tian

Makeup: Yu Xiaojia

Mixing: Playful Audio Studio

Thank you:

China Tea Museum

Liangzhu Museum

Zhejiang Street Dance Association

Zhejiang University Student Esports Association

Produced by Di Er Studio

Xinhua News Agency International Department

Xinhua News Agency Zhejiang Branch

Xinhua News Agency News and Information Center

Jointly produced by Xinhua News Agency's International Communication Integration Platform