Foreigners captured by charm of culture

LONDON - "Hello, wish you a happy and prosperous new year," walking on the streets at London's Chinatown, William Adlington was smilingly speaking to the Chinese people passing by - a traditional greeting he learned for celebrating the Chinese New Year.

Adlington, a British, has been fascinated with the Chinese culture since he set foot in China six years ago for the first time.

"I've been to China for several times and I visited cities such as Dandong, Shanghai, Chengdu, Chongqing, Xi'an and Beijing," he said, adding that he loved Chinese food very much, through which he found one of the great traditions of the Chinese people.

"When Chinese people sit at the table, they put all the dishes on the table and share the dishes together, equally. Sharing is a very great tradition of the Chinese people, especially when they have guests, they serve their guests with their best food," he said.

"That's the difference I learned between the Chinese and the Westerners," he added.

"Adlington is not an exception," Wang Beibei, an acclaimed Chinese operatic soprano, who has been studying and working in London for a long period of time, said that more and more foreigners are starting to appreciate Chinese culture.

A few days ago, Wang was invited to perform at a Lunar New Year celebration in London held by Britain's National Liberal Club.

"They were mostly foreigners except several Chinese people," Wang said, emphasizing that she was deeply impressed by the speech given by the honorable guest speaker Stephen Perry, chairman of Britain's 48 Group Club and also recipient of China Reform Friendship Medal.

"Perry said that sharing is one of the great characteristics of the Chinese people. It exists in the past, at present and in the future. The British people should learn from the Chinese people their diligence, modesty, and love for peace and morality," Wang said. "I was also touched."

Foreigners not just share Chinese culture, but also help spread it. Aleksander Mielnikow, a Polish man who is studying at New College of the Humanities in London, said he has always been interested in Chinese culture and has mastered knowledge of Chinese language although he only stayed in China for 18 days in 2018.

"I learn Chinese culture through reading, surfing on the internet and communicating with Chinese people around and I also introduce it to my friends," he said, adding that he found "the greatest charm of Chinese culture lies in the Chinese people, who are hardworking and optimistic about their lives", and he is "looking forward to going back to China again."

"I am missing China too," Rachele Rosina, an Italian young woman, who is also studying in London, echoed that Chinese culture is so beautiful that she can't stop introducing it to her Italian friends.

"Years ago, I learned Chinese language at University of Venice, then I went to China to study for two years, and now I spend my free time with my friends writing Italian articles on blog and social media to introduce Chinese culture to the Italian people," Rosina said.

During the Chinese new year, she posted two articles on Spring Festival and the 12 Chinese zodiac signs on her blog.

"We also write articles about the lives of the Chinese people who live in Europe and we hope these articles could be a bridge between China and Europe," she added.