Ｆｏｒ　Ｃｈｉｌｄｒｅｎ—Ｃｈａｒｉｔｙ　Ｐｅｒｆｏｒｍａｎｃｅ　ｆｏｒ　Ｒｅｂｕｉｌｄｉｎｇ　Ｓｃｈｏｏｌｓ　ｉｎ　Ｓｉｃｈｕａｎ　Ｄｉｓａｓｔｅｒ　Ａｒｅａｓ　Ｈｅｌｄ　ｉｎ　Ｍａｌａｙｓｉａ

Ｄｕａｎ　Ｂｅｉｓｈｅｎｇ

On July 28, the Thean Hou Temple in Kuala Lumpur, capital of Malaysia, was thronged with people. “For Children—Charity Performance for Rebuilding Schools in Chinas Sichuan Disaster Areas” presenting 25 excellent items selected from the 2008 Second Chinese-Malaysian Youth Dance Competition was held in the Thean Hou Hall of the temple. On the big screens at both sides of the stage was shown the videoed live telecast of the Chinese peoples courageous rescue and relief efforts in the earthquake areas. The atmosphere in the hall was both solemn and enthusiastic.

After the catastrophic May 12 earthquake, through consultation with the Malaysia-China Friendship Association (MCFA) and the Chinese Dancers Association (CDA), the CPAFFC soon decided to organize a delegation mainly consisting of youngsters and children from Sichuan disaster areas to participate in the Second Chinese-Malaysian Youth Dance Competition on the basis of the success of the first one held in 2007 and give a charity performance. CPAFFC President Chen Haosu, MCFA President Dato Abdul Majid and Executive Vice President of the CDA Feng Shuangbai sent messages of congratulations respectively. The Sichuan Provincial Dancers Association amid their busy relief and rescue work organized in the shortest time a team chiefly composed of the students of the Dance School of Shifang City, one of the most seriously hit areas in the earthquake, to take part in the Second Chinese-Malaysian Youth Dance Competition. The Malay- sian side also gathered performers from various teams that had won prizes in national competitions. Wherever the Chinese delegation went, it was accorded warm welcome by the people of various circles in Malaysia.

When learning that the Chinese performers, mostly from Sichuan disaster areas, was coming to Malaysia to take part in the dance competition and give a charity performance, the Chinese and English newspapers in Kuala Lumpur immediately gave extensive coverage about it. The Berita Nasional Malaysia (BERNAMA), Nangyang Siang Pau, Sin Chew Daily, China Press and Guang Ming Ribao published reports or articles in special columns, every day, even published special issues. In the newspapers, one could see headlines and related reports and photos such as “Shaking off Shadows of Earthquake, Young Victims of Sichuan Earthquake Come to Malaysia to Give Performances”, “Disasters Pass- ed, Future is More Precious, Sichuan Girls Dance, Gaining a New Life”, “For Rebuilding Schools for Children in Sichuan Disaster Areas, Thrilling are the Grand Performances”, etc. which played a good role in letting the broad masses of people know the dance competition and publicizing the significance of the charity performance.

At 7:30 p.m., the M.C. announced the start of the performance. Amid warm applause, Chinese young performers became the stars adored by the audience. Through their beautiful dance, they displayed the Chinese peoples indomitable spirit to fight against the earthquake. Such items as recitation of the poem Hold Tight Mommys Hand, Baby! given by children and singers from Sichuan disaster areas, the dance Go Home on May 12 depicting the scene of the disaster areas, and the songFor You specially composed by the Chopsticks Talent School of Malaysia for collecting donations moved the audience deeply. The M.C. interviewed Zhao Canlin, a small girl who escaped with her life from the ruins. When the girl told about the dangerous situation and her personal experience in the earthquake, the M.C. choked with sobs and the audience was in tears. The charity performance with rich and colourful items touched the audience to the depth of their souls and also gave them an artistic treat.

In recent years economic and trade relations between China and Malaysia have been developing continuously; by comparison, exchanges and cooperation in culture and art relatively lag behind. In Malaysia the Chinese descendents account for a big proportion in the countrys total population and the Chinese language is widely taught. Because of ties of blood, the Chinese community in Malaysia cherishes Chinese culture and organizes dragon andlion dances on New Years Day and other festivals. They want very much to get in touch with relevant Chinese organizations such as the CPAFFC and the CDA and carry out high-level art exchanges and competitions in a planned way so as to promote the local teaching and learning of Chinese culture and further strengthen friendly relations between the Malaysian and Chinese people.

The organizing committee of the dance competition chose some of the Chinese youngsters who had suffered from the devastating earthquake to go abroad after having attended a dance training course for about one month in order to help them rebuild confidence through dance, which got unexpected good results. Most of the children went abroad and saw the sea for the first time. The hospitable Malaysian people and beautiful scenery helped them forget their sorrows and walk out of the shadow. The young survivors of the earthquake were deeply moved when they learned that there were so many uncles, aunts, grandpas and grandmas in other countries who cared about them and lived frugally to help the disaster areas.They said, the Chinese nation is a nation that reciprocates the favours it has received and there is true love among the people in face of calamities. They want to express their thanks to the Malaysian people by presenting beautiful dances in full vigour. When the last item A Grateful Heart was performed, the audience applauded warmly to the rhythm of the dance and the joyous atmosphere reached the climax.

After the charity performance, MCFA President Majid, Chinese Ambassador to Malaysia Cheng Yonghua and other well-known figures went onto the stage to give prizes to the young dancers of the two countries and expressed their warm congratulations on the success of the performance.

The Chinese community in Malaysia had already generously donated money several times to the Sichuan earthquake-hit areas, still a sum of 100,000 Malaysian ringgit (about 220,000 RMB yuan) was raised at this charity performance.The CPAFFC and the CDA, on behalf of the Chinese sponsors, expressed their thanks and accepted the donation promising to help build a dance school in Sichuan with the money.

Later, a commentary in the Malaysian Guang Ming Ribao wrote: The dance competition and the charity performance have shortened the distance between Chinas earthquake-affected areas and Malaysia. Dozens of students from the dance school in the Sichuan disaster areas survived their collapsed schools and ruined homes, but the horrible scene of the earthquake is hard for them to forget. Now through dancing they have gained a new life and a new hope. They have extended their sincere thanks to the Malaysian people for giving them timely help and displayed their courage and confidence to march to the future under the sunshine.