The Festival of China, an unprecedented culture event cosponsored by China and the United States, kicked off with dazzling art shows, joyous celebrations and firework displays in the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts on Oct. 1.

The month-long event will highlight the cultural diversity and vitality of contemporary China as well as China's ancient history and customs. The world-renowned palace of art has been immersed in the atmosphere of Chinese culture in the past few days, enabling American audiences to indulge in the charm of Chinese arts.

  Artistic Innovation Burning Washington

On the night of Oct. 1, a large-scale evening gala was held to mark the beginning of the festival. Many celebrities from political, economic, art and literary circles showed up for the gala, which proved to be a great success. Highlighting classic repertoires of Peking Opera, acrobatics and folk music, all tinted with most distinct Chinese flavor, the 100-minute show constantly received thunderous applause.

Upon conclusion, former US Secretary of State Collin Powell expressed his congratulations to the China's Culture Minister - Sun Jiazheng.

"The performances are unprecedented, and have caused a sensation in Washington," Gen. Powell said.

  Top Officials Promoting "Cultural Feast"

During the largest celebration of the Chinese arts in US history, more than 800 performing artists from the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Taiwan Province, and the United States, will stage a variety of shows at the Kennedy Center to demonstrate the many faces of traditional as well as contemporary Chinese culture, presenting an exquisite "cultural feast" before the American people. Both Chinese and US top leaders have attached great importance to the festival. Chinese President Hu Jintao and US President George W. Bush both sent congratulatory letters, praising such cultural exchanges as important bridges for promoting mutual understanding and friendship. Other top officials, including the US Speaker of the House and the representatives of the Sino-America working group, also expressed their admiration for the seamless cooperation between Chinese Ministry of Culture and the Kennedy Center.

  "Culture is the Best Way to Communicate"

In his speech entitled "Chinese Culture Today: Aspirations and Dreams," Sun Jiazheng talked from about topics ranging from China's cultural traditions to China's policy in building a harmonious society, to his wishes for expanding cultural exchanges. He emphasized that China is promoting its cultural development based on a people-centered policy. Cultural development is aimed at contributing to a peaceful society.

He also mentioned the problem of cultural trade in Sino-America trade. Citing concrete statistics about China's imported cultural products from the United States, he said, "The Chinese people boast a better understanding of American culture than Americans do of Chinese culture. China has an obvious deficit in Sino-America trade." He encouraged the United States to buy more cultural products from China to diminish such a deficit. He believes the China Festival will serve as a good propeller in diminishing the deficit.

"Better understanding each other's culture is the best way to understand and communicate with each other, " Sun noted.

The board chairman of Kennedy Center for Performing Arts said, "The China Festival not only presents an opportunity for exchanges among Chinese and American artists, but also marks an important event in the history of Sin-America art exchanges. "

Some 400,000 Americans are expected to participate in the festival in person and another 1 million will enjoy Chinese cultural and art shows via TV and Internet.