From May 22–25, 2025, ICR Beijing participated in the 4th edition of the international cultural fair in Ningbo, titled this year “The Charm of Central and Eastern European Culture and Tourism,” one of the largest and most important cultural exhibition fairs in China. ICR Beijing presented this year “Șezătoare from Țara Făgărașului,” at the Ningbo Cultural Fair and in Beijing (May 19–31), promoting living cultural heritage through a rich program of song, dance, customs and Făgăraș folk costumes, enriched with presentations, sewing and icon‑painting workshops and projections of ethnographic films. The events had a special impact on Chinese audiences, culminating with a very large number of visitors and attracting the appreciation of organizers, authorities, the general public and the local press and national televisions.
Within the event “Șezătoare from Țara Făgărașului,” the public was invited to explore a complex and deep incursion into the cultural heritage of one of the richest ethnographic zones of Romania. There were exhibited centennial traditional shirts (ii) and contemporary reinterpretations titled “Heritage,” created by the artist Raluca Jurcovan and by Mariana Neacșu, coordinator of the șezătoare in Bucharest. These remarkable pieces were accompanied by a selection of traditional garments and handicraft objects, as well as by an exhibition of photographic documents from the village Drăguș, which visually reconstructed village life and the spirituality of the place. At the center of attention was the group of borese “Dimitrie Gusti” from Drăguș, authentic guardians of local tradition, who offered Chinese audiences authentic traditional artistic moments, a true living human treasure of songs, poems, mustrături and Romanian dance.
In the participatory spirit of the old șezători, the program included interactive workshops of painting on glass (icons) and of hand‑sewing, offering visitors the opportunity to draw near directly to traditional crafts. The entire ensemble was completed with projections of ethnographic documentary films, produced by Raluca Jurcovan and Constantin Păun, which artistically and anthropologically contextualized the rural universe of Țara Făgărașului and Romania’s rich traditional cultural heritage.
This year’s fair brought together cultural, tourism and commercial representations from 14 countries of Central and Eastern Europe (Austria, Poland, Hungary, Serbia, Bulgaria, Macedonia, etc.) and Slovakia and Slovenia were guests of honor, alongside exhibitors from another 9 invited countries (UK, France, Germany, Spain, Italy etc). At the opening of the fair, official guests at the governmental level were present—the Vice‑Minister of Commerce, Ling Ji, the Vice‑Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hua Chunying, the Ambassador of the PRC in Romania, Ms. Jiang Yu, the governors of Zhejiang, Jilin and Heilongjiang provinces, as well as high officials from other countries who also visited the fair. The Ambassador of Romania to the PRC, H.E. Dan Horia Maxim, was present at the event, visiting the stand dedicated to Romanian culture, appreciating the program carried out by ICR Beijing in Ningbo and participating both in the official opening and in the final moment held by the Boresele from Drăguș.
Day 1 – The opening of Romania's stand brought together Chinese and European officials in a space dedicated to living heritage. The public was introduced to the culture of Drăguș village through: a performative șezătoare with the "Dimitrie Gusti" Borese from Drăguș, the textile exhibition "Moștenirea" (Raluca Jurcovan and Mariana Neacșu), and the film "Portul Făgărășan" (Păun & Jurcovan), offering a poetic reading of traditional dress. The stand stood out as a multicultural landmark of the fair.
Day 2 – Dedicated to educational exchange and tourism promotion. Mariana Neacșu led the workshop "Drag de cusut" (Love of sewing), and Andreea-Ema Stoian (ICR Beijing) gave a presentation about Romanian universities and culture during the CEEC Study Tour. On the main stage, the Borese from Drăguș offered an authentic artistic moment. Ambassador Dan Horia Maxim visited the stand, praising the program’s authenticity.
Day 3 – The program continued with performative moments by the "Dimitrie Gusti" Borese from Drăguș, Raluca Jurcovan, and Mariana Neacșu: songs, dances, folk costumes, and live embroidery. The documentary "Moștenirea – Un iconar în Drăguș" was screened, evoking rural spirituality and the refinement of craftsmanship. The stand attracted a large audience and international press.
Day 4 – The most visited day marked the exhibition’s closing. Raluca Jurcovan presented "Eternal symbols in the Romanian blouse," and the Borese from Drăguș performed one last moment of dance, "mustrături," and embroidery. Mariana Neacșu concluded with the demonstration "From cotton thread to traditional blouse," illustrating the deep connection between craft and cultural identity.
Raluca Jurcovan, coordinator of the Șezătoare in Ningbo and Beijing, is a guardian of traditions and of the craft of glass icon painting, an artist and researcher of Romanian traditional art, filmmaker and author of many documentaries. Heir to a family tradition strongly anchored in Romanian ethnographic heritage, she continues the craft of her great-grandmother Rafira Jurcovan, a renowned weaver from Drăguș, whose techniques were documented by Dimitrie Gusti and his research team in 1929. Her artistic and research activity materializes through a series of exhibitions and events organized in collaboration with the National Museum of the Romanian Peasant and the Museum of Țara Făgărașului “Valer Literat.” In her creations, she reinterprets old patterns, preserving composition and chromatic elements specific to each ethnographic area. She has participated in numerous national and international exhibitions, displaying her works in venues such as the National Theatre Bucharest, the National Museum Complex "Moldova" in Iași, Museikon – Alba Iulia, and at international events like “Here Coming Thyself,” organized online by Museikon during the pandemic. Her works have been presented in landmark exhibitions such as “IA Aievea,” held at the ASTRA Museum in Sibiu and toured in Japan, or “Original and Revival” at the Ethnographic Museum of Transylvania.
Mariana Neacșu – Folk Artisan, Guardian of the Tradition in Weaving and Folk Embroidery, is the coordinator of the "Șezătoare Vatra Satului" community and organizes șezători and demonstrative exhibitions, such as "Vatra Satului – Revival of the Heritage" (2023) and "Șezătoarea Unirii" (2023).
The Borese group "Dimitrie Gusti" from Drăguș. This group is made up of about 14 borese, aged between 74 and 46. The word "boreasă" is an affectionate term specific to Drăguș, a short form of "my lady." The women of the group are keepers of tradition by virtue of living in the heart of the village and continuing elements of folk culture such as Drăguș folk songs, dances, specific customs, and especially the folk art of making blouses (ii), aprons, shoulder scarves and vests. They are the bearers of old folk customs: the șezătoare, the Buzdugan, and the wedding ritual. The Borese from Drăguș participate in local and national cultural events: the Day of the Romanian Blouse, Home to the Origins, the Day of the Village Museum in Bucharest, the "Soul of the Village" Festival, and others. The Borese participating in Ningbo and Beijing are: Racu Maria, Ana Fogoroș, Maria Gherman, Ana Bobeica.
During the șezătoare, three ethnographic films were presented to the public:
1. The film “Țara Făgărașului – Land of Open Skies: Wonderful Appearance – Făgărașan Costume” (2022, Constantin Păun) presented the evolution of traditional costume from Țara Oltului and the various contemporary influences on it, with a message of preserving national identity. The general traits of the Făgărașan costume reflect the life and character of people living between the mountain crests and the Olt River. Through symbols arranged with needle and thread on canvas or set in the beating of the loom, they imbued traditional clothing with deep meaning, in which the wearer dressed in the whole universe. The traditional costume is still preserved today in the regions of Țara Făgărașului without significant alteration.
2. The film “Heritage – An Icon Painter in Drăguș: Raluca Jurcovan” (2015, Raluca Jurcovan) follows an icon painter in the ethnographic village of Drăguș, following the footsteps of Dimitrie Gusti and the traditional world of the village. Starting from the premise that Romanian villages preserve traditions while undergoing change, Dimitrie Gusti wanted to immortalize the reality of Drăguș in all its aspects: social life, customs, occupations, mores, ethnography. Thus, Drăguș is the only village in Romania whose past remains immortalized on film. A film left to us all as heritage. The documentary conveys a strong message of responsibility: heritage is not only something to be proud of, but an ethical and social duty, defining for our evolution.
3. The film “Țara Făgărașului – Land of Open Skies: Glass Icon – Pillar and Strength” (2016, Raluca Jurcovan) presented the glass icons from important painting centers in central Romania and the anonymous iconographers who painted them, showing how they served as spiritual support for Romanian peasants in hard times.
At the traditional art and souvenir stand, Romanian traditional costumes, blouses, hats and small souvenirs – headscarves, embroideries, napkins – were exhibited, created by Mariana Neacșu (Drag de cusut) and the "Dimitrie Gusti" Borese group from Drăguș. The stand was enriched with natural landscapes from Țara Făgărașului in Romania.
The Ningbo International Cultural Fair is one of the most important platforms for promoting cultural and economic dialogue between China and the Central and Eastern European countries (CEEC). Organized biennially in the city of Ningbo, an economic and university hub in eastern China, the event brings together exhibitors from over 14 CEEC countries, as well as from other European states, offering a wide range of cultural and commercial activities. The event attracts tens of thousands of visitors annually from China and abroad, strengthening its role as a key platform for international cultural and economic exchange.
The organization of a “Șezătoare from Țara Făgărașului” in Ningbo and in Beijing promoted the values of Romanian intangible heritage – Romanian customs and traditions, the ethos of the Romanian village – revitalizing collective memory and reaffirming the continuity of a culture deeply rooted in tradition.
All the events enjoyed a large public: over 300,000 visitors at the Ningbo Cultural Fair, including Chinese and foreign audiences, more than 70 participants in Beijing, as well as hundreds of online and TV views.
