Guests attend a dialogue at the launching ceremony of the Water Season III: Shanghai-New York City Dialogue series in New York, the United States, June 30, 2026. (Photo by Zack Zhang/Xinhua)
NEW YORK, June 30 (Xinhua) — A roundtable dialogue inspired by Chinese Peking opera master Mei Lanfang opened Monday at the China Institute of America in Lower Manhattan, aimed at enhancing mutual understanding between China and the United States.
The roundtable, under the theme “Perception and Integration: Philosophy, Literature, and Technological Arts in China-U.S. Cross-Cultural Dialogue,” brought together scholars, students and artists for in-depth discussions on comparative philosophy, literature and the arts, artificial intelligence and digital humanities.
The event, part of the Water Season III: Shanghai-New York City Dialogue series, served as a pre-launch program for the upcoming exhibition Chinese Opera: A Century of Dreams — Art, Design, and Technology.
Drawing inspiration from Mei’s visit to the United States nearly a century ago, the exhibition seeks to reintroduce Chinese performing arts in contemporary visual language through the integration of traditional opera, artificial intelligence and digital media technologies, said Wei Shaonong, professor at the School of Design of East China Normal University.
Selected works were previewed on Monday, featuring more than 100 pieces of student creations including prints, paintings, illustrations, animation and AI-generated art, as well as VR work to digitally recreate Mei’s stage performance in an immersive audiovisual format.
The event demonstrated continued efforts to expand local cooperation and people-to-people exchanges between China and the United States, said Yu Yougen, education counselor of the Chinese Consulate General in New York.
Yu Jin, president of China Institute of America, said the institute has promoted China-U.S. mutual understanding through cultural and educational exchanges for nearly a century, and the cooperation with East China Normal University has evolved from language education to broader engagement in humanities and arts.
Zhang Huihong, deputy chair of the University Council of East China Normal University, said the university will continue to deepen cooperation with the institute and partners through academic dialogue, cultural exchanges and youth engagement to promote mutual learning between civilizations.
Jointly organized by the university and the institute, the exhibition is scheduled for July 9-29.
Mei’s performances in the United States and other countries in the early 20th century not only introduced Peking Opera to Western audiences, but also fostered cultural dialogues between China and other countries.
Paul J. D’Ambrosio, founding director of Collaborative Learning and professor of philosophy at East China Normal University, said scholars have a responsibility to create opportunities for meaningful dialogues across cultures and to encourage greater participation of young scholars in international exchanges.
The participants experienced virtual reality demonstrations of Chinese opera and traditional woodblock print rubbing, highlighting the integration of heritage arts with digital innovation. ■
Yu Yougen, education counselor of the Chinese Consulate General in New York, delivers a speech during an event of the Water Season III: Shanghai-New York City Dialogue series at the China Institute of America in New York City, the United States, June 29, 2026. (Photo by Vivien Liu/Xinhua)
A visitor tries a VR device at an event of the Water Season III: Shanghai-New York City Dialogue series in New York, the United States, June 29, 2026. (Photo by Vivien Liu/Xinhua)
Yu Jin, president of China Institute of America, delivers a speech during an event of the Water Season III: Shanghai-New York City Dialogue series at the China Institute of America in New York City, the United States, June 29, 2026. (Photo by Vivien Liu/Xinhua)
Guests attend a dialogue at the launching ceremony of the Water Season III: Shanghai-New York City Dialogue series in New York, the United States, June 30, 2026. (Photo by Zack Zhang/Xinhua)
China-U.S. dialogue in New York draws inspiration from Mei Lanfang legacy
