The Global Civilizations Dialogue Ministerial Meeting concluded in Beijing on July 11 with the release of an ambitious action plan outlining 110 concrete initiatives to deepen international cultural exchange. Among the selected projects was the Sino-Japanese performance Voyage to the East, recognized as a flagship example of cultural storytelling and artistic innovation.
The action plan spans diverse sectors — education, science, culture, academia, think tanks, media, youth engagement, tourism, sports, and the arts — aiming to foster mutual understanding and trust through sustained people-to-people exchanges. It is expected to have far-reaching influence on local-level diplomacy and global civilizational dialogue.
Voyage to the East, a joint production of the China Quyi Artists Association, Japan-China Cultural Exchange Association, and Zhangjiagang Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, TV and Tourism, tells the story of Jianzhen, a revered Tang Dynasty (618–907) monk who made multiple arduous attempts to travel to Japan to spread Buddhism and Chinese culture.
The performance blends Chinese traditional art forms — such as Suzhou Tanci, Zhangjiagang's Heyang Folk Songs, and Yangzhou Ditty — with elements of Japanese traditional performing arts, creating a genre-defying musical narrative. The piece celebrates Jianzhen's perseverance, selflessness, and vision.
Voyage to the East blends Chinese traditional art forms with elements of Japanese traditional performing arts. [Photo/WeChat account: zhangjiagangfabu365]
The project marks the first collaboration between Chinese quyi (a collection of storytelling, cross-talk and other spoken art forms) and Japanese traditional performance genres, while serving as a meaningful experiment in grassroot cultural exchange. It has already been listed as a key initiative by China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2023 and the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles in 2024.
Premiering in 2023, the show toured Chinese cities including Beijing, Zhangjiagang, Yangzhou, and Shanghai in September 2024, receiving strong audience acclaim. In November 2024, the production toured Japan, with performances in Tokyo, Osaka, and other cities.
Looking ahead, Voyage to the East will continue to bring together artists from both nations, using innovative forms to deepen emotional resonance between the Chinese and Japanese peoples and broaden the channels for civilizational exchange.