Anhui University successfully held the Chinese Bridge International Summer Camp from July 1 to July 10, 2024. 117 young delegates studying Chinese participated at the event, and they represented Belarus, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Russia, Cambodia, Poland, Bangladesh, and Chile.
Anhui University, founded in 1928, is located in the eastern China in Hefei, a famous historical and cultural city and the capital of Anhui Province. It is a key comprehensive and prestigious institution of higher education with a long history, represented on the list of the national “Double First Class” Initiative. The university offers a variety of excellent disciplines in a thick innovative atmosphere and beautiful campus environment, cultivating talents across the globe. Anhui University is the university with the largest number of graduates, the widest distribution and the greatest influence in Anhui Province.
Following the opening ceremony and acquainting themselves with the campus, the delegates eagerly anticipated a visit to the historic Yellow Mountain, located in the Anhui Province in east China. The mountain was named in honour of the legendary Huang Di, the ancestor of the Chinese people. The representative landscape of Mount Huangshan has “five excellent three waterfalls”. Huangshan visitor-greeting pine is a symbol of the warmth and friendliness of the people of Anhui Province, carrying the Oriental etiquette culture of embracing the world. Poets and artists have drawn inspiration from the mountains for decades.
The group had the opportunity to take in the breathtaking natural surroundings at a UNESCO World Heritage Site as they climbed to Bright Summit’s second-highest peak, with a height of 1,840 meters.
During the trip to the mountain, the group got acquainted with the traditional village of Hongcun in Ash County, which appeared during the reigns of the Ming and Qing dynasties. The village is known for its unique buffalo-shaped layout and sustainable water supply system in the tradition of Feng shui practice, which repeats its outlines.
This UNESCO cultural heritage was created thanks to the intellectual work of the inhabitants based on bionics, in particular thanks to the talented woman Hu Chongniang from Xidi village.
After spending many years studying the landscape and the features of reservoirs, her team created the design of a continuous water circulating system around which the village was built: flowing water still continuously flows through winding ditches to each house and collects in a small Nanhu lake at the entrance to the village, embodying a concept of harmony between man and nature.
Anhui Province has a lengthy history of economic prosperity, a wealth of scientific discoveries, and magnificent architectural design. The fundamental characteristics of the Hui style are elegant interior finishes constructed of black stone and wood, paired with restrained outside white walls.
Delegates were able to learn not only about the depths of Chinese traditional culture, history, painting, architecture, and language throughout the summer school, but also to grasp the tempo of a modern urban culture.
Chinese culture blends a peaceful philosophy with a drive for common development through a dialogue between cultures. The youth leaders had the chance to sense this through the summer school, which inspired the youth to continue fostering cooperative potential and upholding the principles of equality and mutual trust.
Delegates from the SCOLAR Network, Yulia Lapteva, Madi Aldabergenov, and Ali Qadir, made a speech of gratitude during the closing ceremony, stating their appreciation for the warm welcome and the contribution of Anhui University to the friendship between nations and youth empowerment.
Anhui University’s International Summer School has genuinely blossomed into the embodiment of a genuine cultural bridge, one based on friendship and collaboration, between China and other nations.
Author: Yulia Lapteva