[Palestine] Ihab S.S. Adib, Beijing University of Technology
Before I came to study in China, I had a certain knowledge of Chinese culture. There are many aspects in Chinese history and culture, such as marriage, family, state power, trade, food and clothing, writing, literature, classics, religion, morality, folklore and festivals. All these elements constitute a clear and brief epitome of ancient Chinese social life. Studying in China is both an experience and a test for me. After all, it is a great challenge for every international student to adapt to the life in a completely different cultural background.
Chinese culture has enjoyed a long history. The Chinese language, the carrier of culture, is extremely attractive. I have been fascinated by Chinese language since I came into contact with it. Usually in Chinese classes, the teacher stands at the podium and the students sit down and listen to the lecture, but the class does not have to be like that. There are Chinese classes everywhere in daily life, and I can take Chinese lessons in the process of my own exploration and learning.
In the fast development of human technology, the total amount of our knowledge of language also develops rapidly. On TV, I can often see many interesting advertising slogans, which are the fruits of human wisdom. Some advertisers rack their brains to make the advertising slogans more attractive. For example, mosquito-repellent incense-silent “mosquito”, shower head-at one’s “bath will”, electric car - “ride” is endless ... These advertising slogans are formed by replacing the word in the idiom with a harmonic word, some people think this is a wrong practice, which tarnishes the Chinese culture and misleads children. But many others think the other way because it can be a counterpoint. In fact, it doesn’t matter, because it reflects the charm of the Chinese language.
Besides, every city has its local dialects. Those dialects reflect the cultural color of that region. Beijing dialects are very interesting. For example, zuorge - yesterday, mingrge - tomorrow, mane- what to do... I am also very keen on dialects in my language learning, which also represents the regional culture and the tradition of old Beijing. I have seen such advertisements: Foreign languages are valuable, and dialects are more expensive; After learning Putonghua, you can throw away both. I have to admire Chinese people’s ideas and creativity on culture. The dialects of each region reflect the cultural color of each region, and these wonderful colors have enriched the Chinese language.
When my command of Chinese language reached a certain level, I began to dabble in poetry, which is an advanced form of human emotion expression. From reading poetry, I learned the noble character and sentiment of the ancient Chinese. Su Shi, a famous poet in the Song Dynasty, read a lot in books and was praised by Emperor Shenzong as “as talented as poet Li Bai and more knowledgeable than Li Bai.” However, a poetry case in Wutai relegated him from the royal court to the desolate city, Huangzhou. He endured not only the harsh environment and the ostracism of his peers, but also the torture of his mind.
What kept his survival? I think it was his mindset, which was honed in the sea of books. Su was able to leave many optimistic poems in the face of adversity: “Listen not to the rain beating against the trees. Why don’t you slowly walk and chant at ease?” and “The Great River eastward flows, with its waves are gone all those gallant heroes of bygone years.” All those poems relate his extensive knowledge and optimistic and open-minded state of brain.
Zhuge Liang, a household name in China, lived in countryside, but knew the world and was able to anticipate things like a god. He also read a lot of books, through which he understood the laws of historical changes and deduced the changes in the future. As a result, his Northern Expedition Memorialbecame famous for thousands of years, and his achievement to divide the nation into three parts has always been praised.
As international students, only a large number of extracurricular reading can we know the breadth and depth of Chinese culture. Reading a lot after class can refine a broad personality. What I have learned in class is limited. Extracurricular reading can make up for the lack of classroom study, so that I can broaden my horizons, increase accumulation, cultivate my sentiment and improve my ability. In my opinion, extracurricular reading is the main course of the language learning. The difference of language literacy is closely related to the quality of extracurricular reading. If I choose a good book and study hard, I can understand the essence of the Chinese culture.
Some people say, “Read one hundred thousand books and travel one hundred thousand miles.” Li Bai, the great poet of the Tang Dynasty, traveled all over the great rivers and mountains of the motherland. His poems, such as “It is easier to climb heaven than take the Sichuan Road” and “The gate of heaven is interrupted by the River Chujiang/the eastward blue water flows back,” have bred his romantic thoughts and broad-mindedness. “The torrent dropping three thousand feet/Straight down to the valley floor/I think it must be the milky way/Spilling to the earth from heavens,” “if I was born to be useful/a thousand gold scatters and comes back again.” Li Bai’s travel practice through the mountains and rivers of his country made his romantic poems fascinating.
I hope I can travel all over China like what Li Bai did and feel the customs and geographical features. China’s vast land has brought me infinite imagination and power. Practice brings me inspiration and communication with people gives me sparks of thought. I will test, enrich and improve my life practice. Learning and accumulation of knowledge are for application and creation.
With constant self-improvement, keeping pace with the times, tenacity and self-confidence, Chinese traditional culture has restored its former glory, so that modern Chinese people can not only hit the keyboard, but can also draw beautiful pictures; There is not only scientific spirit, but also humanistic concept. It is not only an innovative solution of traditional culture, but also a national plan for a rainy day. All these concepts are worthy for international students to learn, and my motherland needs the same spirit.
I love China, because its language makes us know each other better, and its history ignites my enthusiasm for the nation. This is a country full of history. I hope I can learn more about Chinese history and culture in the future.
The story is from "My Beautiful Encounter with China" Essay Competition organized by the Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchanges (CSCSE).
