The tastes and sounds of China will come alive at the 8th Chinatown Special Zone Festival to be held this coming April 29 Friday to May 1 Sunday. The festival aims to further the relationship between Korea and China and to provide cultural exchanges. The festival is scheduled to be held in splendid style over three days in the whole area covering the Choryang Busan Station Square and the Chinatown Special Zone.

This festival is hosted by Busan Dong-gu District Office and Chinatown Special Zone Festival Organization Committee, and sponsored by Busan Metropolitan City and the Consulate-General of the People’s Republic of China in Busan. This annual Korean-Chinese cultural festival where people can personally experience traditional Chinese culture via food and cultural events is the only one of its kind in Korea.

The Chinatown, founded by the consulate of the Qing Dynasty in 1884, is the largest Chinese residential area in Busan. In 1993, a street in Chinatown was named Shanghai Street in commemoration of a joint affiliation between Busan and the city of Shanghai. In 2007, Shanghai Street was designated as a special tourist zone. Each year, a bountiful celebration called “The Chinatown Festival” is held at this location.

The festival will showcase a range of cultural events, starting off with street festivities which feature a Korean-Chinese parade to wish for the success of the celebration. The festivities will include fireworks and lighting show, a traditional dragon and lion dance, a superb electric guitar concert, a Chinese imperial court garment fashion show, the flying of balloon lanterns, an exhibition of Chinese martial arts, a Dalmado traditional writing performance, and a red lantern tunnel display.

The festival offers visitors a chance to participate in plenty of activities, such as a cooking demonstration of noodle dishes around the world and traditional Chinese dishes, a “Hello Korea-China” event (an outdoor Korean-Chinese traditional folk performance), a singing contest for Chinatown citizens, making Terracotta Clay Warriors, Chinese traditional foot massages and a sampling of traditional teas and liquors. Through these activities, visitors will have plenty of opportunities to experience authentic Chinese culture.

During the festival, Chinese food and delicacies will be sold at 10% discount, and Jjajangmyun (black-bean-sauce noodles) will be available at the price of 2,000 won.

So how about getting a taste of the delightful Chinese culture? Come and visit the Chinatown in Busan and join the festival! With its roots dating back to over a hundred years, Shanghai Street promises you a wondrous experience and a better understanding of Chinese culture. For more details about the program schedule, venues and events, visit the website: http://www.chinatown-f.com.

Ko Hye-young  khy2846@changwon.ac.kr

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