On the afternoon of April 15th, the project launch for the short drama series "Teochew Folktales", specially produced by Yangcheng Evening News Group ("Yangcheng Group") for the 23rd Convention of Teochew International Federation, was held at the Chen Weinan Cultural Center in Chaozhou. At the end of this year, the Convention of the Teochew International Federation will be held in Chaozhou for the first time. The project aims to create a new name card for Chaozhou culture through short dramas and further promote Chaozhou culture through visual media.
"Teochew Folktales" has received strong support from all walks of life in Chaozhou, with Yangcheng Group responsible for content planning and production coordination, inviting well-known experts in folklore and film to provide creative guidance. The serieswill be promoted on mainstream video websites and social media at home and abroad. At the launch event, the project's chief director, Zhuang Canjie, shared detailed plans for the production and narrative design of "Teochew Folktales." Bornand raised in Chaozhou, Zhuang is currently pursuing a PhD at the Communication University of China and is a signed director under the "2024 Maritime Guangdong Young Director Support Program" ("the Maritime Guangdong Program") hostedby Yangcheng Group. Zhuang's previous work, "The Returning Island", a short film shot in the Chaoshan dialect, reaches global audiences within overseas Chinese communities, where it has garnered widespread acclaim. In the film, Zhuang utilizesa fantastical approach to tell a poignant story of reconnecting with cultural roots across the Taiwan Strait. It won the Best Work Award at the China Students Television Festival and Best Director at the 4th Asian Chinese Film Festival.It has also been permanently archived by the National Maritime Museum of China.
Now, based on Chaozhou culture and guided by Yangcheng Group, Zhuang will lead the team to produce a series of short films in diverse styles. These works will incorporate rich iconic "Chaoshan elements" such as Qiaopi (overseas letters and remittances), Chaozhouembroidery, Chaozhou music, teochew merchants, and the Yingge dance. The project will also experiment with technologies such as AI and MR immersive performances to spread "Chaoshan culture" in the eyes of the youth. At the event, Zhuangremarked, "'Teochew Folktales' is not only rooted in Chaozhou culture and connects people across the GBA, but also strives to awaken a shared historical memory among overseas Chinese communities and help the second and third generations of overseasChaoshan people better understand Chaozhou culture."
The project team also received a special gift during the event, a set of books on Qiaopi history from the Japan Chaozhou Federation, personally selected and collected by Chen Chengfeng, president of the Federation. The collection includes "The History of Overseas Remittances of Chaoshan People," "Overseas Chinese Remittances (1897-1949)," and "Overseas Chinese Remittances Delivered by Post." in his letter, Chen expressed his hopes that the books would provide deeper historicalcontext for the storytelling of "Teochew Folktales" and allow the "magic" of Chaoshan not to remain mere imagination, but to take root in the rich cultural soil of shared heritage. "May the legacy of Chaoshan thrive with the power of youth and write anew chapter in the inheritance and development of Chaoshan culture," said Chen.
Source: Lingnan on the Cloud
羊晚携手潮州打造《潮州奇谭》系列短剧，献礼第二十三届国际潮团联谊年会由羊城晚报报业集团（以下简称“羊晚集团”）为第二十三届国际潮团联谊年会定制的系列短剧《潮州奇谭》，4月15日下午于潮州市陈伟南文化馆举行项目发布会。今年年底，国际潮团联谊年会将首次回到潮州盛大举办，《潮州奇谭》项目旨在通过短剧打造潮州文化新名片，以影像助力潮州文化进一步破圈。
《潮州奇谭》项目获得潮州社会各界大力支持，由羊晚集团负责内容策划和制作统筹，邀请知名民俗文化专家、影视专家提供创作指导，将在国内外主流视频网站及社交媒介进行传播推广。该项目总导演庄灿杰在当天的发布会上详细介绍了《潮州奇谭》的拍摄计划与故事构思。庄灿杰是由羊晚集团主办的“向山海走去”青年导演创作扶持计划（以下简称山海计划）的签约导演之一，在潮州出生长大，目前博士就读于中国传媒大学。他由山海计划扶持创作的作品《珊瑚她在等》以潮汕方言拍摄，曾随山海计划多次“出海”，在世界华人华侨社群中广泛传播并受到好评。在该片中，庄灿杰运用奇幻的手法，讲述了一个跨越海峡两岸的寻根故事。影片获中国大学生电视节最佳作品奖和亚洲华语电影展最佳导演奖，更被国家海洋博物馆永久收藏。
如今，庄灿杰将以潮州文化为基础，在羊晚集团的主导下，带领团队打造一系列风格各异的短剧作品。这些作品囊括了侨批、潮绣、潮乐、潮商、英歌舞等丰富的“潮元素”，更将运用AI+MR沉浸式演出等“潮姿势”来传播年轻人眼中的“潮文化”。在当天的发布会上，庄灿杰表示：“《潮州奇谭》不仅立足潮州文化，凝聚湾区人民，更致力于唤醒海内外华人华侨的共同历史记忆，让侨二代、侨三代更加了解潮州文化。”
发布会现场，项目还收到了一份特别的礼物。日本潮州联谊会为《潮州奇谭》创作团队送来赠书——由日本潮州联谊会会长陈成丰精选收藏的侨批专著《中国潮汕侨批史》《华侨银信（1897-1949）》《邮政传递的华侨银信》。日本潮州联谊会会长陈成丰写信表示，希望赠书能为《潮州奇谭》的创作注入更多历史纵深感，让潮汕之“奇”不止于想象，更扎根于血脉相连的文化厚土。他期待：“愿潮汕文脉借青年之力生生不息，在潮人文化的传承与发展道路上谱写新篇章。”
出品人丨任天阳
总统筹丨林海利
总监制丨孙璇、胡泉、林如敏
总策划丨孙朝方
文｜记者 李丽
译｜盛嘉
英文审校｜林佳岱
山海计划工作室出品