Folk feast bewitches Beijing audience

Concerts are the latest in China National Traditional Orchestra's ongoing mission to preserve and celebrate country's musical traditions, Chen Nan reports.

It was a heartwarming scene as 5-year-old Lan Mijia from the small village of Xiage in Zhaoxing town, Liping county of Guizhou province, took the stage at Beijing's National Centre for the Performing Arts on Tuesday.

With innocence shining in her bright eyes and tentative steps, Mijia began to sing, her beautiful voice filling the auditorium with the sound of the traditional Dong ethnic folk song Xiao Shan Yang (Little Goat), a melody rich in the essence of her heritage. Mijia's giggles punctuated the performance, adding a touch of joy and spontaneity that captivated the audience.

"The song is about a mother goat feeding her kid, which kneels down to drink her milk. It delivers a message about respecting and feeling grateful to our mothers," Mijia said in an interview before her performance in which 6-year-old Wu Zixi, who is from the same village, also took part.