【社評雙語道】用春節搭建文明對話橋樑
【原文】摘錄自1月31日香港《文匯報》：今年春節是「申遺」成功後首個春節，全球華人和外國人士都喜氣洋洋地參與慶祝活動。全國各地慶新年的文旅活動火爆，老字號年貨銷量亦飆升。值得注意的，是「00後」青年族群踴躍參與這個傳統節日。
在香港，新春氣氛也毫不遜色，新年花車巡遊、煙花匯演等都吸引了八方旅客，年初一入境旅客人數創疫後新高。春節得到國際社會重視，香港應把握時機，擔當建設中外文化藝術交流中心的使命，向海外弘揚新春節慶文化，向外展示萬家團圓、社會包容、重視家庭情感的中華優秀價值，搭建中外文明對話的橋樑。
春節蘊含和平、和睦、和諧的價值追求。我國2023年起着手推動春節「申遺」，至2024年12月4日「春節─中國人慶祝傳統新年的社會實踐」成功通過評審，列入聯合國教科文組織人類非物質文化遺產代表作名錄，其內容包括楹聯習俗、年畫、廟會等全國各地的春節文化習俗。
「非遺」所包羅的，全是人類文明的瑰寶，是人類智慧的結晶。在入列「非遺」之前，春節已為世界所普遍接受，有近20個國家將春節作為法定節假日，全球約五分之一的人口以不同形式慶祝春節，至近年聯合國也將春節列為假日。春節慶祝活動，除了展現歷史悠久的習俗之外，更不斷吸納結合現代文化藝術的發展，不斷創新。
在內地的春節廟會中，有人工智能（AI）剪紙；今年中央電視台的「春晚」節目，有運用機器狗表演的創意融合舞蹈，也有武打巨星以太極武術結合絢麗的電子布景展現中國傳統書法美感；視頻網站嗶哩嗶哩也開設「春晚」專頁，直播春晚，吸引常訪這平台的青年透過「彈幕」功能留言進行互動，用海量的互聯網對話為春節活動進行新的演繹，呈現活潑非常的氛圍。
以上種種活動，無不蘊含着我國科技和資訊網絡的實力，也證明了科技的實踐，是離不開人文情懷的內涵。春節文化與現代生活模式的結合，印證跨世代、跨國界對話空間的存在。
作為「申遺」成功後首個春節，今年「非遺」年味遊的熱度空前高漲。內地旅遊平台最新數據顯示，自1月1日以來，「春節旅遊」整體搜索量同比上漲328%，其中「非遺」相關搜索量同比增長174%，充分顯示了消費者對「非遺」文化的濃厚興趣和熱情參與。不少顧客更傾向於打卡「非遺」體驗活動，計劃一個地道的「年味遊」。
入列「非遺」，春節的「中國風」吹遍國際社會，作為弘揚中華文化平台的香港，須持之以恒，繼續展現中國多彩的文化。例如年宵、車公誕市場等類似廟會的市集，裏面售賣的貨品、進行的表演，還有轉風車、求籤等宗教儀式，當中蘊含的中國文化典故與故事引人入勝。讓海外朋友認識，不單同享歡慶，更可打破隔閡壁壘，促成文明互鑒。
福蛇迎春，家和年豐。期望香港能夠運用 「申遺」成功的春節，搭建一條文明對話的橋樑。
Leveraging the Spring Festival to foster intercultural dialogue
【譯文】This year's Spring Festival, the first since its successful inclusion on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list, was celebrated by Chinese and foreigners around the world with great joy. Festive cultural and tourism activities are thriving nationwide, and sales of traditional New Year goods from established brands have surged. Notably, the Generation Z are actively participating in this traditional festival. In Hong Kong, the festive atmosphere is equally vibrant, with Chinese New Year Night Parade and Chinese New Year Fireworks Display attracting numerous visitors. The number of inbound tourists on the first day of the Lunar New Year reached a post-pandemic high. The international community's recognition of the Spring Festival presents an opportunity for Hong Kong to embrace its role as a hub for cultural and artistic exchange between China and the world. By promoting the celebration of the Chinese New Year abroad, Hong Kong can showcase the values of family unity, social inclusiveness, and the importance of familial bonds, thereby fostering dialogue between Chinese and international civilisations.
The Spring Festival embodies the values of peace, harmony, and unity. Since 2023, China has started the application for the Spring Festival to be inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. On 4 December 2024, the “Spring Festival – Social Practices of the Chinese People in Celebration of Traditional New Year” successfully passed the evaluation and was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, which includes the practice of couplets and scrolls, New Year's paintings, temple fairs, and other Spring Festival cultural practices from all over China.
The Intangible Cultural Heritage encompasses all the treasures of human civilisation and is the crystallisation of human wisdom. Prior to its inscription on the Intangible Cultural Heritage list, the Spring Festival was already widely accepted around the world. Nearly 20 countries recognising it as a statutory holiday, and approximately one-fifth of the global population celebrates the Spring Festival in various forms, and in recent years, the United Nations has also designated it as a holiday. In addition to showcasing time-honoured customs and traditions, Spring Festival celebrations continue to incorporate and innovate with modern cultural and artistic developments.
During the Spring Festival temple fairs in mainland China, there are AI paper-cutting displays. This year's CCTV Spring Festival Gala featured a creative fusion dance performed by robotic dogs, as well as a martial arts superstar showcasing the beauty of traditional Chinese calligraphy through a combination of Tai Chi and dazzling electronic backdrops. The video website Bilibili also launched a special Spring Festival Gala page, live-streaming the event and attracting young users who frequently visit the platform. They could interact by leaving “pop-up” comments using the "bullet screen" feature, creating a lively atmosphere with a multitude of internet conversations that offered a new interpretation of the Spring Festival activities. All these events reflect the strength of our country's technology and information networks, demonstrating that the practice of technology is inseparable from humanistic values. The integration of Spring Festival culture with modern lifestyles confirms the existence of cross-generational and cross-cultural dialogues.
As the first Spring Festival following the successful UNESCO heritage application, this year's enthusiasm for Intangible Cultural Heritage themed New Year trips has reached unprecedented heights. According to the latest data from mainland travel platforms, overall searches for "Spring Festival travel" have increased by 328% year-on-year since January 1st, with searches related to "Intangible Cultural Heritage" rising by 174%. This clearly demonstrates consumers' strong interest in and enthusiastic participation in Intangible Cultural Heritage culture. Many customers are keen to check in at Intangible Cultural Heritage experience activities, planning trips with an authentic "Chinese New Year flavour".
With its inclusion in the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage, the "Chinese style" of the Spring Festival is spreading across the international community. As a platform for promoting Chinese culture, Hong Kong must remain steadfast in continuing to showcase the vibrant culture of China. For example, markets similar to temple fairs, such as the Lunar New Year fairs and the Che Kung Festival Fair, feature a variety of goods for sale, performances, and religious rituals like spinning the wheels of fortune and drawing fortune sticks. These activities are rich with fascinating Chinese cultural stories and traditions. Introducing these to our friends overseas not only allows them to share in the celebrations but also helps to break down barriers and promote mutual understanding between civilizations.
The Year of the Snakes brings fortune, harmony and prosperity. It is hoped that Hong Kong can leverage the success of the Spring Festival's UNESCO heritage designation to build a bridge for intercultural dialogue.
● Tiffany
