Officials from China and France pose for a group photo at the opening ceremony of Longwu Tea Town exhibition in the China Culture Center in Paris, France on Sept 27. [Photo/China Culture Center in Paris]

An exhibition for the overseas promotion of Longwu Tea Town in Xihu district of Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, opened in the China Culture Center in Paris, France on Sept 27.

The exhibition is hosted by Zhejiang's culture bureau, and organized by its intangible heritage department and the government of Xihu district.

Longwu is a characteristic town themed on Hangzhou's tea culture. At the exhibition, it is displaying the different facets of Chinese tea, especially Longjing Tea, in the European country with the purpose of letting more people know about the culture and attracting more foreign tourists to visit the city.

Besides tea-related exhibits, the artworks of bamboo weaving, Chinese calligraphy, wood carving and woodblock prints are also on display in Paris, demonstrating the combination of Chinese traditional culture and people's everyday lives.

Shen Zhongwen, deputy director of China Culture Center in Paris, addressed the opening of the exhibition, saying promoting Zhejiang's characteristic towns is an effort to boost the integrated development of culture and tourism, as well as a good witness of the frequent cultural exchanges between China and France.

The director of Xihu's publicity department Wu Xiangqian explained the natural landscapes, characteristic industries and cultural atmosphere of Longwu Tea Town in his speech and sincerely extended his hope that people could savor the charm of the town by themselves.

As the opening ceremony of the exhibition was around China's Mid-Autumn Festival, an evening gala celebrating the traditional festival was staged at the center as well. Folk music and dances presented by a troupe from Zhejiang Song and Dance Theater impressed the French audience with much festivity.

The exhibition is scheduled to last until Oct 26.