Are museums, the repositories of human civilization and knowledge, confined solely to static displays and collections? In the Fourth Dialogue of the China-Europe-America Museums Cooperation Initiative, film director Junjie Teng contested this conventional view. He believed that in today’s age of rapid technological advancements and the digital revolution, while static displays remain valuable, museums must embrace dynamism to stay relevant.

Junjie Teng's Full Speech

Teng emphasized the urgent need to leverage modern technology, especially film techniques, to broaden the educational and communicative scope of museums' static treasures. Illustrating with a Peking opera performance staged within a museum, Teng demonstrated from his practical experience how museums can evolve from static displays to dynamic interpretations.

In the summer of 2017, Teng collaborated with the Shanghai Peking Opera Theatre to stage an unprecedented cross-cultural event at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Over a dozen performances of the Chinese classic Peking opera "Farewell My Concubine" were held in the museum’s serene atmosphere. The superb performances by Peking opera artists Changrong Shang and Yihong Shi brought the static exhibits to life, providing the audience with an unparalleled experience and hinting at the future direction of museum development.

Peking Opera "Farewell My Concubine" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

Simultaneously, Teng's team screened the 3D panoramic sound film "Farewell My Concubine" at a nearby cinema, attracting a diverse audience including professional writers, scholars of Chinese culture, university professors, and numerous New Yorkers. By combining film and live performance, the team sparked a wave of interest in Chinese Peking opera in New York.

The world's first 3D panoramic sound Peking opera film "Farewell My Concubine" debuted in New York in 2017

Notably, this dynamic display inspired a group of Princeton University students to explore Chinese culture. Months later, around twenty students of various ethnic backgrounds traveled to the Shanghai Peking Opera Theatre at their own expense. They spent three weeks learning Peking opera from scratch and presented a credible performance in Shanghai, attracting numerous Chinese and foreign guests.

Princeton University students learning Peking opera in Shanghai

After completing their studies, these learners from around the world became enthusiastic promoters of Chinese culture. By transforming static displays into dynamic presentations, "Chinese culture has truly transcended borders, making its mark on mainstream audiences, venues, and media."

Princeton students performing Peking opera, marking the culmination of their training

Through this example, Teng aimed to demonstrate that in the wave of the post-industrial era, museums remain "places of wonders". However, by combining static displays with high-quality dynamic cultural and artistic activities, their functionality and influence will be stronger and more appealing to contemporary audiences. "This integration will further elevate these institutions into places of boundless wonder, attracting a diverse array of visitors from near and far."