CRI听力:East Meets West at the 66th Edinburgh Military Tattoo

Over 1,200 performers from around the world are gathered at this year's festival.

Among them there are 140 performers from the People's Liberation Army Military Band and the Changxing Lotus Dragon Group.

David Allfrey, Chief Executive and Producer of the Edinburgh Military Tattoo says he's very excited about the Chinese performances, which are part of the China-UK Year of Cultural Exchange.

"They have delivered an amazing performance while they have been here in Edinburgh. There are tremendous contrasts, the PLA military orchestra delivered wonderful Chinese military orchestra music but also a cappella singing a Chinese love song, it is so contrasting as to be wonderful, and they look fantastic, they march quite beautifully at top act, and immediately following them, we have Changxi Lotus Dragon which is beautiful, delicate, the music is gentle and watery if I can call it that, and when it is lit here, it looks entrancing. We've had wonderful comments from everybody."The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo is now into its 66th year.

The PLA military band was at the event in 2004, and this year, returned to the stage in Edinburgh with a special performance dedicated to the China-UK Year of Cultural Exchange.

Cheng Daming is the Artistic Director of the PLA military band.

"It's a new way of communicating through music. This time we have brought a new song which was re-written from two of the most widely known folk songs of China and Scotland, 'The Half-moon is Arising' and 'For Old Times' Sake.' And it proved to be very popular with the live audience."

Changxing Dragon Lotus dance troop is making their first appearance at the Edinburgh Military Tattoo.

The art group's director Yang Mingzhu says they're hoping to make a splash which their debut at the event.

"Everything, including our costumes, props and traveling equipment is brand new. We want to make sure we impress. The Edinburgh Military Tattoo is well known and has a lot of influence in the world of culture.

We know that our month long performance here in Edinburgh will give us good publicity and a valuable chance to meet fellow performers from other countries."

With a history dating back some 200 years, the traditional dragon dance performance has been listed as part of China's intangible cultural heritage since 2006.

For CRI, I'm Duan Xuelian in Edinburgh.