When autumn's brush sweeps across the landscapes of Sichuan and Chongqing, a grand tapestry of arts begins to unfold in splendid diversity.

On October 16, the opening ceremony of the 14th China Art Festival was held at the Sichuan Grand Theatre. After a 28-year interval, this national-level cultural and artistic gathering makes its celebrated return to Chengdu. Marking a significant departure from previous editions, the 14th China Art Festival adopts for the first time a co-hosting model between Sichuan and Chongqing. Opening in Sichuan and concluding in Chongqing, the festival becomes a shining hallmark of the joint efforts to build the Bashu Cultural Tourism Corridor—seamlessly weaving together the "Splendid Sichuan: Land of Abundance" with the "Majestic Landscape Dynamic Chongqing".

Eminent artists gather as distinguished guests converge from near and far.

At the opening ceremony, the original Sichuan dance poem "Shudao" (meaning road to Sichuan) took center stage, channeling Li Bai's soaring spirit from the "Ode to Hard Roads to Sichuan" and the powerful choreography inspired by the "Five Warriors Clearing the Path" legend. This artistic creation masterfully unfolded the epic narrative that "One ancient Shu road tells half of Chinese history".

Li Bing's harnessing of waters nourished the Land of Abundance; Wen Weng's transformative governance enriched Shu with enduring Confucian traditions; the formidable Jian'ge Fortress stands impenetrable; the lush Cuiyun Corridor thrives with eternal vitality. On stage, performers embody the resilience of ancestors carving paths through mountains with their fluid movements, and the harmony of drums and strings echoes millennia of Shu's legacy. Their dance flows like the region's meandering rivers, then surges with the power of its towering peaks in dynamic leaps and resounding calls.

Through its grand narrative and intricate details, the millennia-old story of the thousand-mile Shu Roads unfolds captivatingly, immersing the audience in an experiential journey through its cultural wonders. The vibrant atmosphere of the "Twelve Monthly Fairs" evokes a deep resonance among the audience for the local ethos of ānyì (ease) and báshì (easygoing comfort) that defines life in this land.

In the finale, as the ancient Shu Roads—once "more challenging than ascending to the blue sky"—transformed before the audience's eyes into unimpeded thoroughfares connecting all directions, the theatre erupted in thunderous applause. Yang Huazhen, a representative inheritor of state-level intangible cultural heritage (ICH) who watched the performance live, expressed her profound excitement, "We must enable more of our local ethnic arts to blossom on the global stage."

Where curated theatrical productions meet a blossoming spectrum of artistic expressions, Chengdu and Chongqing serve as a gateway to the world while their landscapes transform into stages. During this China Art Festival, the Sichuan-Chongqing region hosts not only a spectacular array of artistic activities, including the Wenhua Awards selection, featured theatrical performances, public benefit shows, art exhibitions, and critical forums, but also presents jointly launched programs, such as the "Chengdu-Chongqing Theater Festival", fine arts exhibitions, acrobatics and magic shows, ICH displays, and digital art exhibitions. The festivities will continue through the end of the year. Simultaneously, under the guidance of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Sichuan and Chongqing have jointly launched the "Explore Sichuan-Chongqing through the 14th China Art Festival" initiative, featuring 100 distinctive cultural tourism scenarios and premium travel routes such as "Night at the Art Museum". These offerings bridge the gap between art and the public, continuously deepen the integration of culture and tourism, and extend the festival's impact across a broader spectrum.

The opening ceremony also featured the "Splendid Sichuan: Land of Abundance" ICH exhibition.

Empowering art through innovation, making innovation brilliant through art. This year's China Art Festival will extensively adopt an "Internet + Performing Arts" model to enhance youth engagement, creating a national arts celebration that never truly concludes.