From the luxuriant, yellow-colored royal garments of the Qing Dynasty's emperors, to the aflutter, colorful robes of the Muslims in northwestern China, and the fitted, dark blue two-piece dresses of the ethnic people in southeastern China...

As you may guess, this is a magnificent show presenting various costumes of China's all 56 ethnic groups.

What you may not expect is that the show was not taking place in China, but at the hall of the Chinese embassy in Ottawa, Canada, on Tuesday. And most of the models of the show were not Chinese, but Canadians -- Canadian MPs (members of parliament), senators and their wives, to be specific.

The Chinese ambassador's wife, Gao Shuqing, who co-sponsored the show with Valorie Day, wife of Canada's Minister of Public Safety, said as she saw the collection of the beautiful costumes at the cultural office, an idea occurred to her -- to introduce to and share with Canadian friends the beautiful Chinese clothes.

The idea met active response from Canadian MPs, senators and their wives. A total of 62 models, including two Canadian MPs, three foreign ambassadors' wives and 37 wives of MPs, and some 20 Chinese diplomats, took part in the show.

The 56 Chinese ethnic groups were roughly divided into five small categories based on their geographical locations. Against the backdrop of special music, Michel Faure, husband of Senator Joan Fraser, and Valorie Day, dressed in magnificent Mongolian royal dresses, read out a general introduction about the costumes of the category in two languages, English and French.

Despite limited practice, the models looked "gorgeous, very beautiful, very handsome and very different" and their performance was no less than professional, Gao said.

The show helped the Canadians know more about China and raised their curiosity about Chinese ethnic groups.

Most importantly, it was friendship. As Stockwell Day, the minister of public safety, said: "Every one is saying it is marvelous, every one is looking forward to having it again next year. It is good for relation-building, isn't it?"

(ChinaCulture.org October 27, 2006)