Xi gifts a vision of modern China

A national gift is often a treasure or something iconic like an Argentine soccer jersey such as one worn by Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi. What would President Xi Jinping give Argentina? Neither silk, nor porcelain nor a panda, but a glimpse into modern Chinese life as shown in three Chinese movies and TV series.

"Even I didn't expect that President Xi would sign the copies and give them as national gifts to Argentina's vice-president," said Chi Yufeng, chairman of Perfect Pictures, which produced the three plays.

Xi is on a trip in South America.

Set in modern China, the TV series Beijing Youth and To Elderly With Love, and the film Love Is Not Blind are among China's most popular recent screen productions. They were applauded not only for being well-written but showing social realities such as aging problems and young people's disputed views of success and relationships.

Zhao Baogang, who directed the two TV series, told Beijing Youth Daily that the gift is a sign of the government's efforts to promote China's contemporary cultural industries worldwide. "We not only have Peking Opera and kung fu. Chinese people have a colorful modern life," Zhao said.

In a speech delivered during his visit to Tanzania last year, Xi talked about the Chinese TV series Beautiful Daughter-in-law, which was a hot topic in the African country.

Accompanying Xi to South Korea earlier this month, first lady Peng Liyuan's casual mention of The Great Jang-Geum and My Love from the Star, two phenomenally popular South Korean TV series in China, also sparked positive reactions, especially among young people.

Beijing Normal University's cultural scholar Yu Dan said: "By previously gifting works of art, we introduced the fruits of ancient civilization. But they don't show our dynamic life".

By watching Chinese TV series, people will experience China's cultural atmosphere and lifestyles, said Luo Xu-bing, deputy marketing director of China Radio International's film and TV translation center.

In the past couple of years, the center has translated a series of modern Chinese TV dramas into multiple languages and introduced them into Africa and Southeast Asia.

The most recent one, Marriage Battle, in which traditional roles of a husband and wife are put to the test by modern pressures, has been one of the most-watched programs on Myanmar's national MNTV since it premiered in April.

"They don't preach. They show real faces. They are down to earth. While fighting for their future, Chinese young people have their own confusions and worries," said professor Yu.

Contact the writers at chenjie@chinadaily.com.cn and hanbingbin@chinadaily.com.cn