Some timeless melodies are helping to tie cultural exchanges between China and France. The Paris PolySons Choir recently visited Tai'an, East China's Shandong province, for a cultural exchange journey centered on music. The event offered young French singers an immersive experience of traditional Chinese culture through workshops, visits, and joint performances.

The Paris PolySons Choir poses for a photo at the doorstep of the Tai'an rural memory museum. [Photo/Shandian News]

The choir's first stop was a local rural memory museum, where they observed a live demonstration of the intangible cultural heritage of rubbing inscriptions from Taishan Mountain stone tablets. 

The children were captivated by the delicate process and eagerly tried their hand at making rubbings themselves, cheering when their own works emerged. They also explored exhibits of traditional farming tools and folk items, gaining a vivid understanding of local history and customs.

A child from the Paris PolySons Choir tries her hand at rubbing during the visit. [Photo/Shandian News]

The Paris PolySons Choir also joined the Taishan Grand Theater Children's Choir for an interactive music workshop. Guided by a conductor, the young singers practiced scales, echoed short phrases, and improvised together, breaking down language barriers through the universal language of music.

In the evening, both choirs performed on stage together, delivering a moving rendition of The Moon Represents My Heart. The familiar melody, sung in both Chinese and French, resonated with the audience, many of whom joined in, bringing the cross-cultural event to a heartwarming climax.

The visit provided the French children with a tangible experience of Taishan Mountain's cultural heritage and created a valuable opportunity for young people from both countries to connect through music and friendship.

Representatives from Tai'an and French choirs perform The Moon Represents My Heart together. [Photo/Shandian News]