Guling, a summer resort in the eastern suburbs of Fuzhou. The green pines and cypresses on the mountain have witnessed the "international community" where China and the West blended a hundred years ago, and recorded the Sino-American relationship that spanned the centuries. In the summer of 2024, a new chapter of youth and friendship will be ushered in here.
From June 23 to 28, the 2024 "Gulingyuan" China-US Youth Exchange Week was held in Fuzhou, which is the largest and richest youth exchange event since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the United States. President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the Exchange Week, encouraging the young people of the two countries to carry on the friendship between China and the United States and contribute to the healthy and stable development of China-US relations.
Over the past few days, more than 500 young people from all walks of life in China and the United States have inherited the friendship and deepened the friendship through about 50 colorful exchange activities, such as planting friendship trees, roundtable discussions, intangible cultural heritage exhibitions, art salons, theatrical performances, and sports friendly matches.
Guling love continues a new chapter
Plant the Friendship Tree in Yixia Village, stamp the postmark at the Guling Post Office, and open the past of Guling in the exhibition hall...... On the afternoon of June 24, young people from China and the United States came to Guling to feel the endless charm of the Guling story in the "place where fate began".
"I didn't expect this well to be so small", "it can still be used", "it's amazing for more than 100 years", next to the Guling Post Office, an ancient well engraved with the words "foreign local public well" attracted everyone.
At the opening ceremony of the exchange week on the morning of June 24, Mu Yanling, a member of the "Friends of Guling" and a researcher of Guling culture, introduced this ancient well. At that time, she said, Guling was an "international community" with a mix of Chinese and foreign countries, with locals and foreigners drinking water from the well and children playing together.
On June 24, Chinese and American youths visited the Guling International Public Welfare Society in Fuzhou. On the same day, the 2024 "Gulingyuan" China-US Youth Exchange Week opened in Fuzhou, Fujian Province. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Lin Shanchuan
With the enthusiasm of "treasure hunting Guling", Meng Zifan, a student of the School of International Relations of Peking University, "checked in" to the Guling Post Office, the International Public Welfare Society, the photo studio and other places on the same day. "As I walked through these places, I felt a wonderful connection between history and reality, as if I had gone from being a listener to a part of the story of Guling," she said. ”
"The people-to-people ties between the two countries have been so enduring for hundreds of years." Chris Chisham West, a young entrepreneur from Houston, USA, said that a few months ago, a friend who was studying in China recommended him to the exchange week, and he immediately decided to come to China to participate in the 100-year-old Guling relationship.
Wang Zhiqin, a student at the University of Washington in the United States, said that such exchange activities can help build a "bridge" between the United States and China, and it is necessary to start with the younger generation, because young people represent the future.
On June 28, Chinese and American youths participating in the Exchange Week jointly released the "Guling Initiative": "The young people of the two countries should not only witness and benefit the development of China-US relations in the past 45 years, but also be the defenders and promoters of the healthy and stable progress of China-US relations in the next 45 years." ”
Culture, our common language
When the first rays of sunlight in the morning had just broken through the clouds, the blonde and blue-eyed "foreign coach" Jack had already started the Tai Chi class with his Chinese and American "disciples". During the exchange week, the early morning Tai Chi class attracted many young people.
The wild horse has a mane, the white crane has bright wings, and the knees are struggling...... Jack, an American who has been in China for almost 15 years, demonstrated the 24 forms of Tai Chi while patiently explaining the Chinese philosophy behind them: "Tai Chi advocates the balance of yin and yang, the balance of rigidity and softness, and in the practice of Tai Chi, we can not only feel the natural law of yin and yang, but also experience the philosophical wisdom of the unity of opposites and mutual transformation." ”
"Tai Chi is challenging and requires a lot of physical coordination." Zoe Chopra, a young American who had just finished Tai Chi, was sweating profusely, and he said that he had seen many movies and reports about Tai Chi before, but had never had the opportunity to try it, so he cherished this opportunity to experience Chinese culture in depth.
On the evening of June 27, the special theatrical performance of the 2024 "Gulingyuan" Sino-US Youth Exchange Week was held at the Fuzhou Strait Culture and Art Center. This is a student from the Curtis Institute of Music performing an orchestral quintet. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Feng Xinran
The Strait Culture and Art Center is like a jasmine blooming on the bank of the Min River. On the evening of June 27, a special theatrical performance of the Exchange Week was held here.
"This piece is an attempt to combine Western classical music with Eastern aesthetics. I hope that the cultural exchanges between China and the United States will continue and get better and better. Amid the enthusiastic cheers of the audience, young Chinese pianist Ruan Yangyang, together with four other students from the Curtis Institute of Music in the United States, presented the orchestral quintet "Big Fish" and "Jasmine" to the audience.
With a background in art education in both China and the United States, Nguyen Yangyang said that he hopes to let everyone know that there are no "barriers" between China and the United States through this exchange week, and also hopes to use his own strength to promote more exchanges between Chinese and American youth, "No matter how the world changes, we can be closely connected through music."
"For Friendship"
“Bravo！” "Come on! Come on! ”
On the afternoon of June 27, a special basketball game was played at the Fuzhou Strait Youth Exchange Camp. The two teams were composed of 2 Chinese youths and 2 American youths, and the cheers and shouts in Chinese and English were intermingled in the warm air.
"When I saw that there was a basketball game on the schedule, I immediately gave it a star and decided that I wanted to participate in this game no matter what!" Zeve Kuriel Friedman, who is a regular on one of the teams and works in the sports industry, said basketball is one of the easiest sports to meet new people and bring people together.
"Even though we didn't win, I think the point of this game is to bring people from the U.S. and China together to learn and build friendships." Listening to Friedman's words, his teammates nodded frequently.
On June 26, guests displayed rubbing works at the intangible cultural heritage exhibition and youth bazaar. On the same day, as one of the activities of the 2024 "Gulingyuan" China-US Youth Exchange Week, the intangible cultural heritage exhibition and the opening ceremony of the youth market were held at the Straits Youth Exchange Camp in Langqi, Mawei, Fuzhou. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Qin Lang
"A friend is someone who can explore and discuss the world together, but also someone who can share interests, goals and dreams. I think this week is a good example of this definition. On June 28, Claire Ashmid Mills, a medical student from the University of Michigan, won warm applause for her speech at the summary meeting of the exchange week.
"At first, we talked about work, slowly talked about life, and also talked about children's education, and now we almost talk about everything, which is the charm of this event." Feng Bin, a young doctor from Peking Union Medical College Hospital, said that Peking Union Medical College Hospital sent 11 young backbones and invited 12 young representatives of the American medical community to participate in the event, and they formed a deep friendship.
"Why is there such an exchange week? The answer is: for friendship. The words of Shen Xin, secretary general of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, express the common aspirations of Chinese and American youth.
"My WeChat friends have increased from 5 to more than 70!" Harriet Parkinson, a young American student who came to China for the first time, spoke fluent Chinese, hugged and said goodbye to friends he met during the exchange week, and promised to keep in touch and meet again.
It is their common wish to draw strength from the story of Guling, which spans more than 100 years, and to pass on the friendship between China and the United States.
Source: Central Committee of the Communist Youth League