On the first day of the first lunar month (February 17, local time) in Moscow, the severe cold of more than ten degrees below zero could not stop the "heat wave" next to the Red Square.
Under the organization of the Guangdong Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, the Fumei Youth English Singing Troupe from Puning, Guangdong, holding mallets and wearing costumes, appeared at Manezh Square in Moscow, Russia, and made a splash at the 2026 "Happy Spring Festival" event.
Although there was still snow on the stage, it could not resist the passion of the players. The Russian audience wearing thick hats and cotton-padded jackets surrounded the stage, many of them holding up their mobile phones not wanting to miss every moment.
At the same time, a stall full of Cantonese goods was crowded with people. Guangzhou embroidery, Xiangyun yarn, Guangcai tea sets, as well as thermos cups, cultural and creative refrigerator magnets jointly created by Guangdong Cultural Tourism and CCTV, and many other Lingnan goodies were unveiled at the same time, attracting the attention of many local citizens and guests.
Many Russian citizens picked out their favorite cultural and creative refrigerator magnets and took photos to check in. There was even a Russian girl who put on Yingge costumes and facial makeup and learned skills from the team members on the spot, learning every move with style.
The event opened on February 16, local time, with guests from China and Russia gathered at the scene. The First Vice Chairman of the Russian State Duma Ivan Melnikov beat the drums of English songs and delivered a New Year's speech for the event.
Galina Kulikova, a 91-year-old recipient of the "Medal of Friendship" of the People's Republic of China and first vice president of the Russia-China Friendship Association, came to the scene in person to help Guangzhou Hugo. She said that she very much likes Xiangyun yarn from Guangdong.
From "watching the excitement" to "watching the door", to "experience it personally"
It is no accident that Yingge and Guanghuo are deeply rooted in the hearts of the people in Russia. This is Yingge’s third consecutive Chinese New Year trip. During the 2024 Spring Festival, the Nanshan Ying Chorus from Puning, Guangdong was invited to London, England, to perform wonderful performances at Burlington Arcade and Trafalgar Square, attracting the attention of more than 700,000 viewers.
During the Spring Festival of 2025, the Shantou Chaoyang Ximen Ying Singing Troupe went to Germany and France to participate in the "Happy Spring Festival" activities, making it the first time for Lingnan women's Ying Singing to go overseas.
By 2026, Yingge and Guanghuo will enter Russia together. On the stage, English songs lit up Manezh Square; off the stage, some people asked about the meaning of facial makeup, some gestured to the rhythm of steps, and some directly learned English songs and dances from their teachers. Cantonese goods have quietly taken root in the hearts of local citizens.
The ancient art originating from the rural areas of Chaoshan is moving from "phenomenal popularity" to "sustainable popularity" with an unstoppable trend. When foreign friends watch Yingge, they are also completing the triple jump from "watching the excitement" to "watching the door" to "personal experience". The breadth and depth of Lingnan culture going global continue to be refreshed, and the signature of Guangzhou goods spreads around the world with every sound of the hammer.
Li Junhao, coach of the Fumei Youth English Singing Team, once told reporters: "In the past, when we went out, we would 'leave after the performance.' Now people will chase us and ask, what does this facial makeup mean? How to practice the steps?" This kind of questioning is the qualitative change of cultural goods from "going out" to "going in." International friends are no longer just spectators of culture, but also participants in the Cantonese lifestyle.
Manezh Square is one of the central squares in Moscow, adjacent to the Kremlin, Alexanderrovsky Garden and Red Square. The square is named after the military exercise building "Manezh" built in the early 19th century, which was a symbol of Russia's military power at that time.
It’s no wonder that when the heroic songs of the Liangshan heroes danced in the central city of Moscow, the Russian audience with different cultures and language barriers felt the shock of the same frequency that reached their hearts. The vigorous and vigorous spirit in Chinese aesthetics resonates deeply with the brave spirit advocated by the Slavic nation!
Upgrade of Guangzhou goods: "Traveling in the world" requires "going in"
In fact, cultural exchanges between China and Russia have never been a one-way display, but a two-way output and mutual integration.
2024-2025 is the "China-Russia Cultural Year". The dance drama "Wing Chun" will be performed in Russia in May 2024, becoming the first Chinese original dance drama to land in Russia's "Double First-Class" theater. The Xiangyun gauze costumes in the drama have been unveiled in Moscow. Now Xiangyunsha has gone overseas again with Yingge, and many Russian citizens have enthusiastically called her.
In May 2025, the Bolshoi Ballet will perform "Classic Ballet Stars" in Shenzhen, kicking off the art season of the Shenzhen International Cultural Expo. In June of the same year, Russia's Vakhtangov Theater performed the dramas "Eugene Onegin" and "Uncle Vanya" in Shenzhen, and held a dialogue event between Chinese and Russian theater masters.
At the same time, the "physical Guangdong goods" exported to Russia are also quietly upgrading.
Not long before Yingge made its debut in Moscow, a China-Europe freight train loaded with products from the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area departed from the Shenzhen International Integrated Logistics Hub Center for Moscow, Russia on February 8. This is the 1,000th China-Europe freight train (Shenzhen) train in total!
What is astonishing is not only the jump in quantity, but also the qualitative changes in the types of goods in the carriages. In the early days of China-Europe Railway Express (Shenzhen), daily commodities were mainly used. Now, electronic appliances and electromechanical equipment are the core, and the proportion of high value-added products such as automobiles and parts, medical equipment, and smart equipment has steadily increased. It has become an important logistics support for Guangdong manufacturing to go global and integrate into the international industrial chain and supply chain.
Under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era has further deepened and become more solid. Russian buyers are no longer satisfied with temporary purchases, but are seeking to establish long-term, stable, high value-added industrial chain cooperation with Chinese suppliers. The explosion of Guangdong's exports to Russia can be said to have come at the right time, and Guangdong's manufacturing has become increasingly rooted in the fabric of Russian people's lives.
"Guanghuo travels all over the world" is not just a slogan. In the memory of the older generation of foreign trade people, it means that the factory assembly lines in the Pearl River Delta are non-stop day and night, and containers are continuously transported from Huangpu Port and Shekou Port to five continents. But the real world travel is not just about the goods arriving at the port, but also about the brand taking root in people's hearts and the products being iteratively upgraded. It is not just about the intangible cultural heritage performances causing a sensation, but also about the integration of cultural spirit into daily life.
Cantonese-style life has become the aesthetic taste actively chosen by the world, and Made in Guangdong has become an everyday thing within reach in foreign countries. From "traveling around the world" to "going in", Guangzhou Huo has gone deeper, farther and into people's hearts step by step.
