Through the rich melodies of traditional Chinese musical instruments, the ancient dramatic art of face-changing and other treats of tradition, a group of energetic, silver-haired senior artists took to the stage in Beijing on Thursday to showcase Chinese culture.

The opening ceremony of the 3rd Education, Arts & Culture Festival for Beijing Seniors rolled out with the theme "Yi: Beijing's Autumn", with "Yi" meaning "shining brightly" in Chinese and autumn implying the golden age of the senior citizens.

The festival is held under the auspices of the relevant municipal education and civil affairs authorities, and hosted by Beijing Open University.

In the cultural extravaganza, seven categories of competition events, including dance, language, performance, modeling, calligraphy, painting and photography, will be held across Beijing in the next six months.

"Retirement marks the beginning of life's second act, and it is here at the Beijing Open University that I have embarked on this captivating new chapter," said Liu Qun, a retiree studying at the university. "This year's cultural arts festival has opened up a stage for us to showcase our talents and passions."

Xu Xiaoge, principal of Beijing Open University, said that the university has previously hosted two sessions of the festival. To cater to the digital technology learning needs of the senior citizens, the university has also organized public welfare projects such as "Helping seniors using mobile phones" and "Providing online courses for senior citizens". By 2023, the total number of online and offline participants in these activities had reached over 7.7 million.

The festival is important for the senior population of Beijing, Xu said. "It provides an exclusive stage for the senior community, allowing them to fully showcase their talents and passions in the realm of cultural arts. This empowers them to feel that their intrinsic worth and personal value are being fully recognized and respected," she said.

Tao Chunmei, an official from the Beijing Municipal Education Commission, emphasized that education for senior citizens carries long-term social benefits. "The cultural arts festival can promote the development and popularization of education for senior citizens, enhance the cultural literacy and artistic cultivation of senior citizens, and foster a positive social atmosphere that respects and supports the elderly," she said.

Previous arts festivals have received very positive feedback from participating performers, with the first two sessions drawing over 1,600 works and attracting more than 255,000 participants, as well as over 6.8 million viewers online. Audiences included a 90-year-old senior and students with disabilities, all enjoying the performances, according to Beijing Open University.

Yin Bingshan from the School of Senior Education at Beijing Open University, said the university is placing a strong emphasis on education for senior citizens, having built an extensive system of education for senior citizens institutions across the city. The school is combining online and offline approaches to deliver its education for the seniors.

"Looking ahead, the university will work to coordinate resources to offer the senior citizens more profound education courses in the suburbs," Yin said, adding that the measures would enable senior residents in those areas to have access to university-level educational opportunities within their local communities.

Hu Xinyue contributed to this story.