Mr. Dong Xiaojun, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Bulgaria, visited the Confucius Classroom at “Maxim Gorky” Middle School in Stara Zagora

On the morning of November 22, Mr. Dong Xiaojun, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Bulgaria, visited the Confucius Classroom at “Maxim Gorki” Secondary School which is affiliated to the Confucius Institute in Sofia. The Principal, Mrs. Mariana Pencheva, together with the teachers and students of the Confucius Classroom warmly welcomed the Ambassador.

At 10:30, Ambassador Dong Xiaojun arrived at the Confucius Classroom. Students wearing traditional Bulgarian and Chinese clothing brought traditional Bulgarian bread. Bread (and salt and honey) is a Bulgarian custom for welcoming guests. Ambassador Dong tasted the bread and took a photo with the principal.

Ambassador Dong Xiaojun, accompanied by Mrs. Pencheva, visited the Confucius Classroom at “Maxim Gorky” Middle School. The students recited in unison: "Welcome to our school!" in Chinese. Four students presented a gift they specially prepared for Mr. Dong - a painting full of cultural symbols from both China and Bulgaria. The students introduced to the Ambassador the images of the Great Wall, roses, pandas, Chinese and Bulgarian national flags, dragons, and martenitsas (traditional Bulgarian adornment, made of white and red yarn). This painting expressed the students’ good wishes for cultural exchange and harmonious relations between China and Bulgaria. Ambassador Dong encouraged the students to learn Chinese well and welcomed them to visit China.

After the visit to the Confucius Classroom, the students presented a wonderful artistic performances - the Chinese song "A Girl Named Jiu Er" and the Chinese classical dance "Brave" to welcome the Ambassador. Student from grades 10, 11 and 12 shared their experience of learning Chinese and participating in this year's "You and Me, in Beijing" Summer Camp, expressing their love for Chinese language and showing the results from Chinese learning at the Confucius Classroom.

Ambassador Dong Xiaojun affirmed the Chinese teaching achievements of the Confucius Classroom at “Maxim Gorky” Middle School. The arrival of Mr. Dong and his words of encouragement further inspired the students’ enthusiasm for learning Chinese well.

Confucius Institute in Sofia

Text: Pan Xixi

Photos: Pan Xixi

Editors: Liu Xiuming, Aksiniya Koleva, Liu Tianchao

English translation: Dima Pironkova

Picture 1 Dong Xiaojun, Chinese Ambassador to Bulgaria, tastes traditional Bulgarian bread

Picture 2 Students from the Confucius Classroom at “Maxim Gorky” Middle School gave Ambassador Dong a painting representing Chinese and Bulgarian culture

Picture 3 A group photo of Ambassador Dong Xiaojun and the students