On 19th of June, H.E. Che Jun, Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Zhejiang Provincial Committee, launched the 2018 Summer Camp by awarding the flag of Summer Camp to the two Directors of Confucius Institute at UoM. On the same day, the delegation of 20 CI students (comprising of staff and students of UoM), headed by Associate Professor Tan Xudong, Chinese Director of CI-UoM, flew to Hangzhou, China. All the members of the delegation were accommodated at a hotel in Hangzhou within walking distance from ZSTU campus. In the morning, all the members were dressed in a printed T-shirt prepared by Zhejiang Sci-tech University and were warmly welcomed by the Vice President of ZSTU, Mr Gao, at the main entrance of the university.
On the first day, they visited the Silk Museum of the University. They got to know more about how silk is produced and the techniques of silk manufacturing. They put on the magnificent traditional silk clothes and just could not believe that such resplendent textile materials, at source, are made by silkworms.
The main purpose of the summer camp is to further the Mandarin learning process and experience, at first hand, local culture. After several teaching lessons, the members of the delegation were very pleased with their progress. Within two weeks they were overjoyed on being able to bargain with vendors when they went shopping. The courses in Chinese song, Chinese painting, Chinese paper cutting and Taiji boxing made their time more colourful. The beautiful campus, hospitable volunteers and respectable teachers have left a deep impression on them.
Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang province, is described as a Heaven in China by man of letters, and Mauritius is depicted as a Paradise by Mark Twain, American great novelist. All the members of the delegation were fascinated by the two different styles of ‘paradise on earth’. The amazing sceneries around the West Lake and the legends connected to the sceneries enhanced their appreciation and marvel for Hangzhou. They really couldn’t tear themselves away from the city now.
In China, how could they miss the chance to enjoy the local opera? Arranged by the local government of Dongyang County, the delegation traveled to a village where the members were warmly welcomed by all the villagers. Their level of mandarin may not have been enough for them to fully appreciate the opera, but they were certainly fascinated by the splendid facial make-up and the performance of the actors and actresses. In traditional operas, the different facial make-ups represent different characters in the opera. After the performance, the delegates were invited to put on the facial make-ups and perform on stage with the actors/actresses.
This is an unforgettable experience, and will leave an everlasting memory in their mind.
Plate 1. Group photo of CI Summer Camp students with H.E. Che Jun; H.E. Sun Gongyi; Chairman of Council of ZSTU; Higher Management of UoM; and CI Directors.
Plate 2. Group photo of welcome by ZSTU in the company of Professor Zhengrong GAO, Vice-President of ZSTU (centre); and Professor Jianping LI, Dean of ZSTU School of International Education (centre-right).
Plate 3. Paper cutting class for CI-UoM delegates of the Summer camp.
Plate 4. Visit of the Silk Museum at ZSTU.
Plate 5. Qipao show at the West Lake, Hangzhou.
Plate 6. Practising Taiji Boxing at ZSTU.
Plate 7. Mr Tan Xudong, CI Director, giving lecture on Confucianism.
Plate 8. Group photo of CI-UoM delegates attending Chinese Opera, outdoor, Hangzhou.
Plate 9. CI-UoM delegates taking part in Chinese Opera.
Plate 10. A Chinese painter drew and offered a painting for CI-UoM student.
Plate 11. CI-UoM delegates in the company of two Chinese boys dressed in Han Dynasty Clothes, in the street of Hangzhou.
Plate 12. All the delegates of CI-UoM at the closing ceremony of the Summer camp at ZSTU, with their certificate of participation, in the company of Professor Jianping LI, Dean of ZSTU School of International Education (centre); and Mr Xiang FU, Director of ZSTU International Exchange & Cooperation Office (centre-left).