On May 28, the Regional Centralized Library held the fifth Regional Book Festival #ReadGomel, dedicated to the book tradition and book culture, famous Belarusian writers and their readers, as well as libraries and their tireless library workers.
The Confucius Institute of our University became a full participant of the Book Festival, which launched its exposition at one of the sites – in the art cafe of the Regional Library. The staff of the Confucius Institute had a lot to tell and what to show to the guests of the Festival: it is well known that the printing press was invented in China, printing appeared there for the first time at the end of the 10th century, and what can we say about the thousand-year-old Chinese writing on animal bones, bamboo tablets and rice paper!
Isn't that why almost all visitors to the Confucius Institute exposition tried to master the writing of Chinese characters, which they were taught by Chinese undergraduates and graduate students who were present there? And it doesn't matter that not everyone was able to master the mysterious "Chinese literacy": people were happy to receive hieroglyphs written by the Chinese on rice paper with wishes of health, well-being and success as a souvenir.
None of those present at the library art cafe remained indifferent that day, listening to traditional Chinese melodies performed by graduate student Sun Xiao, a recognized master of playing the guzhen folk instrument. Graduate student Sun Dajia, an active participant in all institute events, was pleased with her drawings in the style of the Gohua folk painting.
The exhibition of children's books presented by the Chinese side to our Confucius Institute also aroused great interest of the audience: not only adults, but also preschoolers curiously examined intricate hieroglyphs and wonderful illustrations in beautifully published Chinese children's books.
It should also be noted that the director of the Confucius Institute, Mr. Ji Yiming, took part in the Book Festival: he not only constantly supervised the Chinese undergraduates and graduate students who were present, but also, having gathered a whole group of children around his table, enthusiastically taught them the art of making various figures and animals out of paper, which delighted young viewers.
And for the dynamic and such unusual performances of the master's student of the Faculty of Physical Culture Lao Tzu – a master in the Chinese ancient martial art of Wushu – there was simply not enough space in the art cafe, and therefore her performance with a sword and without a sword had to be held in the courtyard of the Regional Library.
The participation of the Confucius Institute in such a popular and spectacular event as the regional Book Festival #ReadGomel allowed Gomel residents to get to know Chinese youth better, helped them to get to know ancient Chinese culture better.
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