How do Chinese forklift companies cultivate public support? By hosting opera concerts on state television, of course.
That’s what the Ningbo Ruyi Joint Stock Co., Ltd., did January 11 when it hosted a performance by the China Central Television Opera (CCTV), featuring traditional Chinese opera performed by some of that county’s favorite performers. The show was broadcast on state television throughout China’s Ninghai region.
The performance was broadcast on CCTV and was hosted by Zhao Baole, a well-known master of ceremonies for the state-owned television network.
“Deeply attracted by the wonderful shows, the audience made great applause spontaneously all the time,” the company announced in a press release. “During the show, president of Ningbo Ruyi, Chu Jiwang, gave a splendid speech. The concert ended with a song sang by Ruyi staff chorus.”
Sino-German Joint Venture
Ningo Ruyi is a joint venture between Chinese and German investors and builds forklifts, power stackers, and pallet trucks. It has been named China Top Brand Product, National Inspection-Free Product, and Chinese Famous Trademark. Its vehicles have been sold in 135 countries since 1985.
“It is national excellent enterprise of exporting machinery and electric products, and China High Technology Enterprise,” according to the company’s website. “Attaching great importance to the public benefit, Ningbo Ruyi has donated about 60 million RMB (about $10 million in US dollars) to the society.”
About 500 people attended the concert, which was held at Ruyi’s facilities and featured many popular Chinese opera singers including Fang Yafen of Shanghai, who is soloist for the Shoaxing Opera. Also performing were Ningbo opera soloist Wang Jinwen and Beijing Opera singer Wang Rogrong.
China, Music, Industry and Revolution
China, music and industry have long enjoyed close ties. Music in China has enjoyed some expanded freedoms in recent decades, following a crackdown on public expression in the wake of the 1949 founding of the People’s Republic of China. The Communist government nationalized the music industry and set up the Zhongguo Changpian Zonggongsi (ZCZ), or the China Record Corporation, to control what music was recorded, with an emphasis on maintaining the nation’s cultural heritage.
Until China opened its borders in 1978, the ZCZ mostly released folk music records, patriotic songs and operas in addition to recordings of the traditional music of China’s 55 ethnic minorities.
Some Restrictions Still Exist
Still, today’s Chinese government continues to maintain a tight hold on the types of music its people are allowed to listen to, banning such Western songs as “Judas” by Lady Gaga and “Last Friday Night” by Katy Perry, which are deleted from the Chinese versions of the recordings so they can’t be downloaded.
Performers are required to submit lists of songs they intend to play — along with a Chinese translation of their lyrics — before they are given permission to hold concerts by the Culture Ministry. In 2006, the Rolling Stones were ordered to remove four songs from their repertoire — “Brown Sugar”, “Beast of Burden”, “Honky Tonk Women” and “Let’s Spend the Night Together”, according to one Chinese music observer.