The 5th Global Gathering to Extol Chinese Culture was launched at Yuelu Academy on July 16. Themed with "Reading Chinese Classics, Passing Chinese Civilization and Building a Harmonious World", this chanting assembly brought together over 1,000 scholars studying on Chinese culture from home (including Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan) and abroad and outstanding chanting representatives of all ages.
After the opening ceremony, a get-together performance of "The Sound of Chinese Classics" was held. Musical poetry recital, Chinese classics chant, Chinese dance and martial art were staged by students from Hunan, Guangdong, Shanxi, and Guangxi provinces.
In the afternoon, the thousand people joined a chanting activity in the front of Yuelu Academy, where Li Guangcai, who played young Mao Zedong, Dong Zizhu, a professor from Shandong Qufu Normal University and other distinguished guests led the group chanting excerptions from The Great Learning, The Analects and The Dao Te Ching. They also read aloud Di Zi Gui (Disciple Rule) and sang the song Li Yun Da Tong (The World of Great Harmony) together.
A recital and exchange meeting on classics of Chinese culture was held then and the event drew a conclusion on July 17.
