Culture and calligraphy become China’s calling cards
During the 21st Belarus International Media Exhibition in Minsk, I noticed an elderly woman standing at the front desk of the China section. She seemed anxious.
It was lunchtime, so almost Employees from the Chinese everyone in the section was on a embassy in Minsk and a local Conbreak, leaving only a Chinese calligfucius Institute, one of three in the rapher who did not speak Russian. country, manned the China section
So I went up and asked the lady for the event. what she needed. She said her Unlike many other sections, Chiname was Anna Petrovna, and she na’s display area was so crowded wanted to buy some Chinese calligwith visitors I struggled to find raphy for her daughter. somewhere to stand.
“Her name is Lena,” the 67-yearIn addition to asking for samold told me. “I’d like to have the calples of calligraphy, many of the ligrapher write the characters for attendees were interested in tra‘healthy’ and ‘successful’, so I can ditional Chinese printing as well give them to her. as the Russian-language edition
“I’ve never been to China, and I of President Xi Jinping’s book, Xi know little about the country,” she Jinping: The Governance of Chisaid. “But I have na.heard how friendly Chinese people are, and I really hanks to reports in the Belarulike Chinese calligraphy.” sian media and close cooperation
The exhibition was held at the between governments and compaBelarus National Exhibition Center nies in both countries, China and from May 3 to 6, and for the first Chinese culture enjoy good reputatime China was the guest of honor. tions in Belarus, according to Fan Di, a teacher from Northeastern University in Shenyang, Liaoning province.
Fan is on a two-year teaching program at the Confucius Institute affiliated with the Belarusian National Technical University in Minsk.
She said the local people are enthusiastic about traditional Chi- nese culture, as demonstrated by the fact that every time the Confucius Institute participates in an exhibition, its displays are always swamped by curious locals, who ask all sorts of questions.
“The Belarusians really do seem to love our calligraphy, kites and fans,” she said.