Hosted by the China Film Administration, the second season of the annual CFDG (China Film Directors Guide) Young Director Support Program was held in Jining city of Shandong province on Aug 13. 

Jining has a long history of theatrical culture and plays a vital role in Chinese drama development.

Kong Shangren, the 64th generation grandson of Confucius and a poet and playwright in the early Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), and Hong Sheng are known as the two stars who illuminated the literary world during the Kangxi period (1662-1722) of the Qing Dynasty.

The Peach Blossom Fan and The Palace of Eternal Life written by Hong represent the highest achievements of ancient Chinese historical plays and are considered masterpieces.

The city's theatrical culture also covers the Chinese legend of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai, or the Butterfly Lovers, modern dance dramas and contemporary acrobatics.

Jining boasts rich historical heritage and abundant resources like Confucianism, the Yellow River, canal culture and Buddhism.

In recent years, the city has adhered to the high-quality development and ecological protection of the Yellow River basin, held major events such as the Confucius cultural festival, the Nishan Forum on World Civilizations and the Shandong Tourism Development Conference and strived to create a new highland for cultural innovation.

One remarkable achievement is the emergence of cultural figures in various fields including literature, art, music and sports. In particular, Jining-born director Guo Fan, with his film The Wandering Earth, has taken Chinese cinema to the world stage.

The second season of the annual CFDG Young Director Support Program is held in Jining city of Shandong province on Aug 13. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]