Chinese embassy to display cultural charisma at open house

The Chinese embassy will showcase the wonders of Yunnan province on Saturday as it participates with more than 60 other embassies as part of Passport DC's Around the World Embassy Tour.

The tour will offer visitors the chance to experience food, art, dance, fashion, music, innovative technology and crafts from different countries.

The Chinese embassy looks to be an attractive stop among its peers in the diplomatic community. The embassy's open house, themed "Yunnan: A Many-Splendored Life", will showcase the Southwest China province famous for its variety of folk arts, music, songs and dances of local ethnic populations.

Visitors can expect to fully immerse themselves in the Chinese Cultural Experience Tour, which will include spectacular performances by artists from the Yunnan Lantern Theater and the Honghe Prefecture Ethnic Culture Working Group along with superb performances by inheritors of intangible cultural heritage.

Visitors also can tour the Chinese embassy building, view its collection of artworks, taste Yunnan specialty tea and coffee, try Chinese calligraphy, dress up in Chinese outfits from ancient times and in Hanfu traditional clothing and ethnic costumes, and take photos with giant panda dolls.

The Stephanie Chou Quartet, the Washington Traditional Chinese Orchestra, the Chinatown Lion Dancers, and the Greater Washington Drum Team will appear on the outdoor stage to bring guests full immersion in Chinese culture. They will play melodies such as Hopping Birds, and Fernleaf Bamboo in the Moonlight & Melody.

The embassy, which is participating in Passport DC for the third time, will hold a VIP reception at 9:30 am. The outdoor grounds will be accessible from 10 am, while the embassy building will open at 10:30 am. Admission is free, but visitors should present a valid photo ID at the entrance. The embassy requests that guests observe its security policies during their visit.

The Chinese embassy's warm beige-hued French limestone is used for the exterior walls in recognition of the limestone found in typical federal buildings throughout Washington DC. The building features a fusion of the traditional philosophies of Chinese architecture and modernity.

In the outdoor area, the Chinese food stand is a must-go, where guests can enjoy tasty snacks like bean-paste pancakes, pea bean paste, and fried spring rolls prepared by the embassy's chefs.

The Chinese garden between the two office wings adds a touch of tranquility to the compound. The building was designed by the world famous Chinese American architect I.M. Pei and built by Chinese contractors.

Passport DC, the District of Columbia's monthlong cultural celebration produced by Events DC, is one of this city's most distinctive spring traditions. This year's Around the World Embassy Tour has a record number of participants.

The embassy tour and Passport DC attract nearly 27,000 visitors annually and allow the diplomatic communities to highlight the best of their home countries.

Passport DC also will feature Flower Mart from May 5-6 at the National Cathedral, where visitors can enjoy beautiful flower displays made of flora from different countries.

On May 13, the EU embassies will host visitors for an authentic European experience. At the "European Union Open House", the embassies of Denmark, France, Germany and Spain will welcome visitors.

On May 20, Fiesta Asia! will welcome visitors to experience Asian tradition, dances and food in a street fair festival on Pennsylvania Avenue.