From March 15 to 17, the king of Cambodia, Norodom Sihamoni, visited Shanghai. The three-day tour included such destinations as Shanghai Film Museum, Pudong Exhibition Hall, the site of the first CPC Congress, Shanghai International Dance Center, and the Lvbolang restaurant.

This arrangement not only caters to the personal interests and hobbies of Sihamoni, but also reveals the long-standing relationship between the Cambodian head of state and Shanghai.

Sihamoni loved art since childhood, and studied film shooting in his youth. In the early 1980s, he was a prince of Cambodia and once visited Shanghai Film Studio. Shanghai Film Museum, which is located at the original site of Shanghai Film Studio, has become the first stop for his "revisit of old place".

Shanghai Film Museum

"I remember here!" Gazing at an old photo of the entrance to the Shanghai Film studio, King Sihamoni said with a smile.

Shanghai Film Museum, with a total area of 15000 square meters, demonstrates the story behind the film by a large number of devices, pictures, sound and light and other latest means, and presents the charm of Shanghai film for a hundred years.

A figure model celebrating the 70th anniversary of Shanghai Film Studio was given as a present to King Sihomoni

Shanghai is the birthplace of Chinese animation films. In the past 90 years, numerous classic animation films have been created. In the exhibition area of animation Gallery, the manuscript of "Uproar in Heaven "and" Little Tadpoles Looking His Mother" all interested King Sihamoni. "These old paintings look very beautiful and are quite valuable even in this era," he said with great appreciation.

“Uproar in Heaven” cultural and creative products (photo: Shanghai Film Museum)

A ballet lover

The International Dance Center on Hongqiao Road is another cultural landmark of Shanghai visited by Sihamoni on his trip. It is surprising that Sihamoni was a professional ballet dancer before he became king.

Shanghai International Dance Center

Founded in 1979, Shanghai Ballet was formerly the performing team of The White-haired Girl, an award-winning classical Chinese ballet.  "Every generation of our actors grew up by performing this opera," said Xin lili, Head of the Shanghai Ballet, who introduced Shanghai Ballet while King Sihamoni carefully browsed the pictures that epitomized the history of Shanghai Ballet.

 The ballet "The Lady of the Camellias" presented by Shanghai Ballet

The ballet performed for Sihamoni was "The Lady of the Camellias" which is created based on Alexandre Dumas Fils's most famous work. After watching, Sihamoni shouted "Bravo", gave warm applause and came to the stage to thank the performers one by one and highly praised the whole show,

Connection with "Shanghai food" passed down by two generations of Kings

The younger generation of China may not be familiar with Cambodia's history, but they are usually familiar with the name of Sihanouk, the father of King Sihamoni. As "great friend of the Chinese people", Sihanouk visited China many times and regarded China as the second hometown.

In February 19, 1973, Prince Sihanouk visited Shanghai's Yu Garden with his wife. At that time, there was only a small restaurant in Yu Garden. In order to offer Sihanouk and his wife the best food, Suzhou-style dessert master, Lu Goudu, and other famous chefs including Zhou Jinhua, Xie Chichuan, jointly produced 14 "Shanghai snacks" along with other dishes. It is said that Prince Sihanouk was very fond of the food, and the cooks were informed that night that he hoped to take two more boxes of each variety the next day.

"Dinner for Prince Sihanouk" is hanging on the wall of the Lvbolang restaurant as a memorial

 This story spurred the idea of opening a restaurant featuring special snacks and Shanghai style restaurants in Yu Garden. In 1979, the Lvbolang restaurant was born. When Prince Sihanouk came to Yu Garden with his wife again in 1987, Lvbolang, located beside the Nine Zigzag Bridge,has become one of the most famous restaurants in Shanghai.

48 years later, the profound friendship between China and Cambodia has not changed, and the "Shanghai flavor" has not changed either. On the noon of March 17, 2021, King Sihamoni came to the "1973" Hall of Lvbolang to enjoy a special set menu composed of 6 cold dishes, 4 hot dishes and 9 snacks. Like his father, he likes these Shanghai dishes very much.

The "Shanghai menu" tasted by King Sihanouk

Fortunately, Lu Yaming, the chef in charge and who now serves as general manager of Lvbolang, is the son of Lu Goudu, the famous chef who served King Sihanouk during his visit then. Lu Yaming was so excited when he was interviewed by the reporter, "We even took a picture together! He recalled, "and King Sihamoni laughed and said, ‘it's amazing. I want to come next time, '"And I replied, ‘I hope that the friendship between China Cambodia will be passed down from generation to generation.'"