An exciting Peking Opera contest is taking place at the Mei Lanfang Grand theatre in Beijing. The competitors are all young and talented. Meanwhile in London, other rising stars are duking it out in a Chinese proficiency competition for foreign college students.

60 young performers from the China National Peking Opera Company are breathing new life into the art. This contest is part of a nationwide initiative to give young talents an opportunity to show their skills -- and to get some valuable experience.

Liu Changyu, artistic director, China National Peking Opera Company, said, "The youths have all mastered the basic skills, like the gestures and the singing. But these are only the building blocks for portraying the characters. Their skills have to be tested on stage. "

The contest runs from March 19th to April 7th. The organizers hope it will also promote Peking Opera to average people and cultivate more enthusiasm for the ancient art form.

Chinese culture is also gaining recognition among youths in Britain. The 12th "Chinese Bridge" proficiency contest is one such example. Held in the British Museum, 28 contestants vye for two spots at the Grand finals in July and August. The contestants are tested comprehensively in their understanding of Chinese culture through various presentations.

Ge Lai, contestant, said, "I really like Chinese history, poetry and ancient Chinese. This world has been unlocked for me since I started learning Chinese.

Shen Yang, education counselor of Chinese Embassy in the U.K., said, "Young people in Britain really have a passion for Chinese culture. We have 24 confucius institutes in Britain, with more underway. Schools here are really sincere in cooperating with us."

The contest was launched in 2002 and has become one of the most important platforms for foreign enthusiasts of Chinese culture.

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