Wearing Hani costumes, CPPCC member Yang busy promoting ethnic culture
Yang Yuni makes a proposal at the ongoing Two Sessions in Beijing. Photo/CCTV clip
Yang Yuni, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), is busy introducing the Hani ethnic culture to her fellow members and the audience around the world during the ongoing Two Sessions in Beijing.
Wearing typical Hani costumes, Yang comes from south Yunnan’s Honghe Hani and Yi autonomous prefecture, and at this year's sessions the young deputy has proposed “protecting the fertile Hani terrace and passing down the world heritage of farming civilization”.
Yang Yuni shows Hani costumes to her fellow member. Photo/CCTV clip
Born in a multi-ethnic family of Hani, Yi and Han in late 1990s, Yang has been in love of singing and dancing since her childhood, saying the Hani songs and dances are bred in the production and life in the terraced fields.
In 2014, Yang was admitted to Qi Baishi School of Art in central China’s Hunan University of Science and Technology. During her first summer vacation in college, she returned home, visiting villages in her hometown one by one and asked folk artists about the essence of Hani culture. Then, she began to teach Hani art to local children free.
Yang shows Hani costumes to her fellow members. Photo/CCTV clip
"Imagine the terraced mountains of colors and the sparkling waves in the paddy fields... They tell the wisdom and hard work of the Hani ancestors, and our songs and dances mostly pray for a bumper harvest," said Yang during an interview before the Two Sessions.
Over eight years, Yang has allowed more than 3,000 children to have access to Hani songs and dance, and some of them have participated in international competitions and domestic art events. Over 50 passed the dance test and entered the art school in universities like her.
Yang talks with her fellow members about Hani art. Photo/CCTV clip
Source: CCTV and China News Service; Trans-editing by Wang Shixue