Around one million people are expected to visit dance and theatre shows, concerts and films in Brussels but also in smaller cities across the country, as well as in Amsterdam, Cologne, Luxembourg and Paris.
So the public won't be lost in the blizzard of events, the festival organisers -- Belgian and Chinese -- have divided the festival up into four themes, with a special item headlining in each.
The first, "Eternal China", focuses on "the splendour of the tangible and intangible Chinese heritage that has been a constant value throughout the centuries", and is led by the "Son of Heaven" art exhibition.
Part of the "Contemporary China" theme is dedicated to music and the performing arts, with Lin Zhaohua, pioneer of avant-garde Chinese theatre, taking the stage at the National Theatre in the Belgian capital.
The exhibition "The State of Things", sees Chinese artists tackling sensitive issues like people displaced by the giant Three Gorges dam project on the Yangtse River.
"Colourful China" looks at tradition and popular culture, while "China and the Rest of the World" offers, among several highlights, walks taking in the China-related sites in Brussels.
The complete programme is available on the Internet at www.europalia.eu
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