Confucius Classroom at Ruse University Hosted the Seventh Chinese Culture Festival

On November 25, the Confucius Classroom at the University of Ruse “Angel Kantchev”, affiliated to the Confucius Institute in Sofia, held the 7th Chinese Culture Festival at the Kaneff Center at the University. More than 300 people attended the event, including Mrs. Aksiniya Koleva, Bulgarian Director of the Confucius Institute in Sofia, Professor Liu Xiuming, Chinese Director, Professor Yuliana Popova, coordinator of interinstitutional communications, Desislava Atanasova, vice-rector of the University, Chinese government-sponsored teachers and volunteers from the Confucius Institute in Sofia, students from the Music academy in Sofia, teachers and students from the University of Ruse, and local people. The directors of the Confucius Institute in Sofia delivered an opening speech. In their speech, they fully recognised the achievements of the Confucius Classroom at the University of Ruse in regard to Chinese teaching and popularizing Chinese culture, and highly praised the hard work of the classroom leader Professor Popova and Chinese teacher Hu Yuan. Although there was continuous rain and snow on the day of the event, the weather did not stop people interested in Chinese culture to attend and enjoy the event.

This Chinese Culture Festival consisted of three parts: "Chinese Culture Collection", "Chinese Culture Artistic Performance" and a lucky draw. The activities highlighted the theme of Chinese culture and focused on different aspects of Chinese culture such as its depth, interesting nature, aesthetics, practicality and public welfare.

The “Chinese culture collection” included Chinese calligraphy, Chinese painting, Chinese tea ceremony, Chinese chess and Go, Chinese shuttlecock jianzi, chopsticks dexterity competition, traditional Chinese clothing try-on, 3D figurine printing and charity sale of souvenirs such as pandas, Chinese knots, hairpins and key chains. Chinese teachers and volunteers from the Confucius Institute in Sofia, as well as teachers and students from the Confucius Classroom at the University of Ruse, were responsible for this part of the event. The proceeds from the charity bazaar, 980 BGN, will be donated to the Brave Heart Foundation, a rescue center for mothers of disabled children in Ruse.

Chinese cultural artistic performances included local students’ Chinese martial arts performance, international students singing Chinese and Bulgarian songs, Chinese teachers’ traditional folk dance performances, traditional Chinese folk music (Chinese zither guqin, Chinese mandoline liuqin, Chinese flute dizi, etc.) performances, and traditional Chinese costume fashion show held by Chinese and Bulgarian teachers and students. There were two lucky draws during the performances, and lucky viewers won prizes such as smart watches, mobile chargers, Bluetooth speakers, and panda backpacks. There were constant applause and joy during the event.

This event not only showed the teaching results of the Confucius Classroom at the University of Ruse, but also displayed the spiritual outlook of the teachers and students of the Classroom. The Confucius Institute in Sofia hopes that this cultural event will promote the Confucius Classroom and Chinese culture and will stimulate the local people’s enthusiasm for getting to know Chinese language and culture, as well as attract students to actively enroll in Chinese language and Chinese culture courses in order to lay a good foundation for creating a better career in the future.

May the flowers of Chinese language and culture bloom in the "Land of Roses"!

Confucius Institute in Sofia

Text: Hu Yuan

Photos: Liu Xiuming

Editors: Liu Xiuming, Aksiniya Koleva

English translation: Dima Pironkova

Picture 1 A poster of the event

Picture 2 The Chinese and Bulgarian directors of the Confucius Institute in Sofia are delivering a speech

Picture 3 During the event

Picture 4 A workshop on Chinese calligraphy and painting

Picture 5 Chinese tea ceremony

Picture 6 A competition for the use of chopsticks

Picture 7 А try-on of traditional Chinese costumes

Picture 8 3D printing and a charity bazaar with souvenirs

Picture 9 Performances of Chinese martial art wushu

Picture 10 A performance of traditional Chinese dance

Picture 11 A performance of traditional Chinese musical instruments

Picture 12 A fashion show with Chinese clothing

Picture 13 A group photo of the guests and the performers