A special gathering under the theme of "Haizhu in Memories" was held in Haizhu district, Guangzhou, on June 24 and 25, with the participation of more than 100 famous folk artists, art enthusiasts and local government officials. 

The event, covering five topics including "A Bond", "An Old Song" and "An Impression", aimed to show special memories about Haizhu district and promote Lingnan culture through the description of special people and their stories.

A ceramic featuring beautiful guangcai by famous Chinese master Zhao Guohuan is on display at the special gathering held in Haizhu district, Guangzhou. [Photo/kb.southcn.com]

"A Bond" depicted the stories between famous Lingnan painters and guangcai ceramics, a type of pottery in Guangzhou featuring bright colors and beautiful patterns. At the gathering, a wide range of guangcai ceramics were on display, including works by Zhao Guohuan, a famous Chinese master of arts and crafts.

"An Old Song" referred to Guangzhou's xianshuige (salty water songs). The songs are special ballads sung by those who lived in Guangdong while they were working on farms or chanting out of sheer joy. The songs are on the list of Guangdong Intangible Cultural Heritage. At the gathering, a group of primary school students sang the special songs and Xie Diying, an inheritor of xianshuige, released her new book about the songs.   

Primary school students from Haizhu, Guangzhou, sing xianshuige, an artform on the list of Guangdong's Intangible Cultural Heritage. [Photo/southcn.com] 

"An impression" centered on a series of photographs by Ye Qiangjian. The photos depict the changes that have taken place in Guangzhou during the past decades, enabling people to catch a glimpse of what lives used to be like in Guangzhou.