Xinhua News Agency Beijing/Moscow, May 6 Special　Report丨People and Cultural Exchange Tighten the Blind Dating Link between Chinese and Russian People

  Xinhua News Agency reporter Geng Pengyu

  From the China-Russian joint film "Red Silk" hit box office success in Russia, to the new version of the opera "Yevgeny Onegin" created by artists from the two countries, from the "popularity" of the Russian capital Moscow, to the holding of the Russian traditional meat-loving festival in many places in China, China's cultural exchange activities with diverse forms, rich connotations and vigorous development have become an important link to deepen bilateral relations, promote mutual learning between civilizations, and promote mutual understanding among the people.

  2024-2025 is the "China-Russia Cultural Year". Hundreds of exciting cultural exchange activities are vigorously carried out in the two countries. Cultural feasts build bridges of communication, effectively promoting the understanding and blind date of the people of the two countries.

  Language learning builds a bridge of in-depth communication

  "My name is Maria. I am learning Chinese. I'm very happy to know you." On the banks of the Moscow River, a girl came towards me. After confirming in Russian that the reporter was Chinese, she switched to Chinese to introduce herself.

  Maria is a sophomore in the law department of Moscow University, and uses her spare time to study Chinese and Chinese culture. She smiled and said that her Chinese is not very good, she only knows some daily words. In her opinion, Chinese characters are beautiful and charming, and Chinese culture is rich and colorful. It is her dream to continue her studies in the Chinese field.

  Nowadays, when walking in the streets and alleys of Moscow, you can often hear cordial and enthusiastic Chinese greetings. "Hello", "Is it Chinese?" "Welcome", "Goodbye"... Seeing Asian faces, many Russians will take the initiative to say hello in Chinese.

  Ilya Gujing, PhD in History, Moscow Institute of International Relations, is also a Chinese teacher. He said that China's language and culture are becoming more and more popular in Russia, thanks to the deepening of cooperation in the field of education between the two sides and the policy support and guarantees of the two governments.

  It is understood that there are currently more than 140 universities and more than 220 primary and secondary schools in Russia to offer Chinese courses. In addition, there are 19 Confucius Institutes, 5 Confucius Classrooms and other educational institutions engaged in Chinese teaching. In 2019, the Russian government included Chinese in the foreign language subjects of the national unified examination. About 110,000 people across Russia learn Chinese. The number of applicants for the Russian Chinese proficiency test is increasing year by year, and activities such as "Chinese Bridge" are very popular in Russia. In China, more than 180 universities offer Russian majors, and about 120,000 people in primary and secondary schools and universities learn Russian.

  At the same time, the two countries have also jointly created cooperative brands such as the "10+10 Joint Training of Excellent Talents in Famous China-Russia Famous Schools", "China-Russia Joint Science and Education Center Construction Plan" and "China-Russia Similar Universities Development Plan", supporting universities to carry out joint education projects, expand the scale of two-way study abroad exchanges, jointly organize summer schools for college students, carry out vocational education cooperation, etc., to promote youth exchanges and exchanges between the two countries.

  "Language is a bridge of communication, and Russian and Chinese learning is the foundation for the two countries to expand cooperation in various fields." Gu Jing said that the "Russia-China Cultural Year" provides new opportunities for the two countries to carry out cultural exchanges and promote educational cooperation.

  Art exchange shows the beauty of cultural integration

  The original Chinese dance drama "Wing Chun" was recently staged at the Bolshoi Theater in Russia. The beauty of the fusion of Chinese Kung Fu and dance has won the long-lasting applause from Russian audiences, and has also attracted widespread attention and high praise from Russian media.

  Russia's BRICS TV reported that the dance drama "Wing Chun" touched the audience with a refreshing rhythm and delicate and abundant emotional expression. Through this work, Russian audiences further understand Wing Chun, a unique charming Chinese martial arts genre. The All-Russian State Television Broadcasting Corporation reported that the dance drama "Wing Chun" is an important event of the "Russia-China Cultural Year". It tells a legendary story and cultural heritage through dual-line narratives, reflecting the profound heritage and artistic charm of Chinese traditional culture.

  In recent years, the "Chinese style" has emerged in the field of Russian literary and artistic performances. The drama "I Am Not Pan Jinlian" directed by Chinese and starring Russian actors has been performed in many places at the Moscow National Theatre; "Ode to the Red Flag" performed by the National Grand Theatre Orchestra of China echoes in the Zaryajie Park concert hall near Moscow Red Square; the dance poetry drama "Only This Green" was unveiled at the Mariinsky Theatre in Radivostok... Many Chinese works have entered Russia and shine on a foreign stage.

  At the same time, a number of Russian classic works of art bloomed on the Chinese stage: ballets such as Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, and Nutcracker bring original "Russian aesthetics"; dramas, ballets and musicals derived from Russian classic works such as "Anna Karenina" and "War and Peace" are refreshing; the Central Opera House of China and Russian artists reinterpret the classic opera "Yevgeny Onegin" from a contemporary perspective, allowing literary classics to shine with artistic vitality across the times and show the collision and integration of the cultures of the two countries.

  Wang Ning, director of the National Grand Theater of China, said that many high-level Russian art groups came to China to perform, not only bringing the essence of Russian culture to Chinese audiences, but also providing opportunities for Russian artists to experience and understand China.

  Alexander Rerensky, president of the Gnissin Conservatory of Music in Russia, said that both Russia and China have a long history and splendid culture. Art exchange deepens the intuitive understanding of each other's culture through visual, auditory and other sensory enjoyment, and brings the people of the two countries closer together.

  Come and go like visiting relatives

  "Going abroad for breakfast and then returning to China" may sound incredible, but it has become a daily routine in Heihe City, Heilongjiang Province.

  The Heihe River faces Blagoveshchensk, the capital of Amur Prefecture, Russia across the river. Every morning, many Russians "grouped" to visit the morning market and shop in Heihe City, taste Northeast special breakfasts such as fried dough sticks, soy milk, tea eggs, egg hamburgers, and developed a Russian-style way to eat "buns with beer".

  "I just went to the dentist and bought some daily necessities. Now I am going to find a restaurant for lunch, and then I will get home in about 10 minutes by boat, which is very convenient." said Yekaterina, who lives in Blagoveshensk. She said that she often comes to Heihe. Although she doesn't know how to speak Chinese, she can see clear Russian signs everywhere here, and many stall owners can also speak simple Russian, and communication is not a problem.

  In recent years, with the convenience of transportation and visas, the number of Russian tourists traveling to China has continued to grow. Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Sanya, Chengdu, Qinhuangdao... The list of must-visit cities for Chinese tourism in the hearts of Russian people is getting longer and longer.

  When Russian tourists are immersed in China's beautiful food, more Chinese tourists also go to various scenic spots in Russia to "check in" and "pull weeds". Data released by the Russian Tourism Alliance shows that the number of Chinese tourists to Russia in 2024 reached 848,000, 4.2 times that of 2023. In addition to Moscow and St. Petersburg, cities such as Murmansk, Novosibirsk, Irkutsk also welcome more Chinese tourists.

  In order to facilitate Chinese tourists, some Russian cities have Chinese signs and major attractions, and some "Internet celebrity restaurants" have also arranged Chinese menus intimately. Direct flights were opened between multiple cities in the two countries, which increased the enthusiasm of tourists from both countries to travel in both directions.

  Under the framework of the "China-Russia Cultural Year", Moscow City has organized a series of celebrations during the Chinese Spring Festival for two consecutive years, including Chinese food tasting, tea art performances, dragon and lion dance, and calligraphy and painting, paper cutting master classes. "We hope to further attract Chinese tourists in this way, get an unforgettable experience of celebrating the festival in a foreign country, and also allow Moscow citizens to experience Chinese culture in an immersive way."

  "During the 'Russian-China Cultural Year', our peoples have the opportunity to deeply understand each other's traditional art and cultural heritage." Boris Titov, chairman of the China-Russia Friendship, Peace and Development Committee, said that the Cultural Year emphasizes the importance of dialogue and understanding between different cultural traditions, which will help enhance mutual understanding and mutual respect between the two peoples and inject new impetus into the friendship between the two countries for generations. (Participated reporter: Zhou Tianhong)

[Editor in charge: Liu Yang]