MEXICO CITY, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) -- Music and the glow of a full moon brought China's Mid-Autumn Festival to life on Friday, giving local audiences a taste of one of China's most cherished traditional celebrations.
Held at Mexico City's Palace of Fine Arts, the concert, titled "Under the Same Moon," brought together Chinese and Mexican musicians for an evening of cultural exchange.
Renowned Chinese erhu player Li Cangxiao performed with young Chinese pianist Luan Jingxu, joined by Mexico's Humboldt Quartet and percussionist Javier Perez.
The program featured a mix of Chinese and Mexican works, including Li's "Kangding Capriccio," Mexican composer Jose Pablo Moncayo's "Huapango" and the Chinese classic "The Butterfly Lovers," composed by He Zhanhao.
For Rogelio Rivero Chong, director of the Teotihuacan Archaeological Zone, the event offered an opportunity for Mexicans to learn more about Chinese culture.
"It is very important to have these events and to learn about China's traditions," he told Xinhua.
Rivero Chong said the festival's emphasis on family reunion also strikes a familiar chord in Mexico, where family holds an important place in society.
He was particularly impressed by the erhu's performance in "Huapango," saying he had not expected the Chinese instrument to blend so well with the Mexican composition.
"I really didn't expect it to sound so good. The instrument is impressive, as was the pianist's performance," he said.
The Mid-Autumn Festival, one of China's major traditional holidays, is associated with family reunions, the full moon and the sharing of mooncakes.
The event was organized by Mexico's Culture Ministry and the National Institute of Fine Arts and Literature, in collaboration with the Chinese Embassy in Mexico and the China Cultural Center in Mexico. ■