Taste food, enjoy folk customs, and watch beautiful scenery...... Recently, the "China Roots-Seeking Tour" winter camp is being held in Henan, Liaoning, Anhui, Fujian, Yunnan and other places, and Chinese teenagers have returned to their ancestral countries to experience the breadth and profundity of Chinese culture and the rapid development of China.
"The snow and red plums bid farewell to the old year, and the wind and drizzle are a good year. Through a Spring Festival couplet, Liu Jiaxing, a student of the Foreign Chinese School in Guancheng Hui District, Zhengzhou City, and Wang Solenge of the Mongolian Overseas Chinese Mongolian-Chinese Friendship School formed a cultural friendship.
At the opening ceremony of the 2024 "China Root-Seeking Tour" Henan Winter Camp, paired students displayed gifts. Photo by Kan Li
The 2024 "China Root-Seeking Tour" Henan Winter Camp opened in Zhengzhou on January 10. The winter camp was hosted by the China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese and undertaken by the Henan Provincial Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, and 61 overseas Chinese teenagers from Australia, New Zealand, Mongolia, Japan and other countries started a 10-day "root-seeking journey" in Henan.
As the "appetizer" of the winter camp, overseas Chinese teenagers paired up with local students in Henan Province and exchanged souvenirs. Among them, there are handwritten Chinese New Year couplets, handmade wishing stars, and blessings written in Chinese and foreign characters.
After the opening ceremony, overseas Chinese teenagers will also go to Zhengzhou Shangdu Ruins Museum, Shaolin Temple, Yellow Emperor's hometown and other places to start their journey. Yu Pinhong, Yu Yihong and Yu Kehong, three sisters from New Zealand, said, "My biggest expectation for the trip is to learn kung fu from Shaolin Temple, as well as make dumplings and cut paper." Yu Pinhong has a strong interest in traditional Chinese culture such as the Spring Festival.
On January 10, the 2023/24 "China Root-Seeking Tour" Winter Camp - Liaoning Camp, hosted by the China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese and undertaken by the Liaoning Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese and Shenyang Normal University, opened in Shenyang. 25 campers and team leaders from the Chinese School of the Panama Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry participated in the camp.
"Everyone is looking forward to the next trip, hoping that through this winter camp, they can better understand China, learn Chinese well, tell Chinese stories well, and inherit Chinese culture." Zhong Jinming, the representative of the team leader and the principal of the Chinese School of the Panama Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said.
The "China Root-Seeking Tour" winter camp Liaoning camp opened in Shenyang. Photo courtesy of Liaoning Provincial Federation of Overseas Chinese
The winter camp lasts for 10 days, and there are courses and experience links such as sugar painting, tai chi, cotton painting, Chinese folk music, Peking opera mask, rope weaving skills, Chinese painting, calligraphy, Go, etc., and the campers will also visit the international cultural exchange base of overseas Chinese in China.
"Every time I return to China, I feel very happy, I can see my family, and I can improve my Chinese skills. I have been to Beijing, Shanghai, Xi'an and other cities before, and I am looking forward to learning history and experiencing technology in Hefei this time. Li Jinyao, a Chinese-Australian teenager, said.
The 2024 "China Root-Seeking Tour" Winter Camp in Hefei, Anhui Province, opened on the 9th in Yaohai District, Hefei City, Anhui Province. Photo by Chu Weiwei
The 2024 "China Roots-Seeking Journey" Winter Camp with the theme of "Chinese, Culture, and Roots" opened on January 9 in Yaohai District, Hefei City, Anhui Province, with the participation of 37 Chinese teenagers from Australia.
In the next 10 days, the campers will learn Chinese, paper-cutting, calligraphy, visit the Anhui Museum, Anhui Hall of Fame, Memorial Hall of the Battle of Crossing the River, iFLYTEK, Guodun Quantum, etc., walk into the theater to enjoy Huangmei Opera, and interact with local students.
"Chinese teenagers should learn about Chinese culture and not lose it. Li Shiman, a Chinese-Australian teenager, is a "science and technology fan", and she is full of expectations for this Hefei science and technology research trip.
Guo Jing, the leader of the winter camp, introduced that this was her first time in Anhui, and she was deeply impressed by Huizhou businessmen through TV programs, and was moved by their hard-working, moral and trustworthy quality, "This time I came to Anhui to have a deeper understanding of 'Hui camel'." ”
Recently, the opening ceremony of the "China Root-Seeking Tour" winter camp Yunnan Honghe Camp was held, and 38 Chinese teenagers from Vietnam started a 10-day "root-seeking journey".
"Ever since I found out that I could come to China for the winter camp, I was very excited and hoped that this day would come soon. I want to go to Mengzi to eat cross-bridge rice noodles, I want to eat Jianshui's roasted tofu, and I want to see Jianshui's Confucian Temple...... I also want to go to more places and learn more about Chinese culture. Wu Fuan, a young Chinese man in Vietnam, said.
In the following trip, the campers went to Pingbian, Jianshui, Mengzi and other counties and cities to experience the excellent traditional Chinese culture such as tea art, ethnic embroidery, calligraphy, guzheng, Hanfu, etc., enjoy the beautiful mountains and rivers of the Red River, and deepen their understanding of the long history and excellent culture of their ancestral country.
The 2023 "China Roots-Seeking Tour" Winter Camp Fujian Fengze Camp recently closed, and 31 Chinese teenagers from Malaysia experienced the charm of the Maritime Silk Road culture in this "World Heritage City".
A few days ago, Malaysian Chinese teenagers walked into Quanzhou to visit the Quanzhou Overseas Chinese History Museum. Photo by Wu Guanbiao
During the 9-day camp, the Chinese teenagers learned and experienced tea art, tie-dyeing, hairpin flower wai and other characteristic maritime silk skills in Quanzhou, walked into the Quanzhou Overseas Chinese History Museum, Fujian-Taiyuan Museum, Wudian City, Kaiyuan Temple and other places, and watched the martial arts, marionettes, Nanyin and other performances of the South Shaolin Temple.
In the eyes of Li Wanyu, a young Malaysian Chinese, this trip to find her roots is a good opportunity for learning and exchange. "My ancestral home is Hui'an, Quanzhou, and I am full of curiosity and anticipation for this city, where I can appreciate the unique charm of the ancient Maritime Silk Road. ”
"Before the camp, we visited the China Fujian-Taiwan Rim Museum and the Quanzhou Overseas Chinese History Museum, and I was very impressed by both museums. Guo Rou, a young Malaysian Chinese whose ancestral home is Kinmen, recalled that in the museum, she saw the history of exchanges between Fujian and Taiwan, as well as the history of overseas Chinese entrepreneurs.
The leader of the winter camp, the president of the Muar Zhangquan Association of Malaysia, and Datuk Wong Kok Hua have led the team back to Quanzhou many times to seek their roots. He said: "In the journey of roots, children are not only tourists, but also inheritors and disseminators of culture, who will better understand China's development and contribute to cultural exchanges." ”
Source: China Overseas Chinese Network (ID: qiaowangzhongguo) is integrated from China News Network, Quanzhou Overseas Chinese Federation WeChat public account, etc
Editor: Wu Kan
Editor in charge: Ma Haiyan