On 12th December, 2019, the University of Science and Technology Beijing (USTB) - De Montfort University (DMU) Confucius Institute participated in Leicester City’s “Religion and Belief Roadshow” at the invitation of the St Philips Centre. The purpose of the event was to provide local students with the opportunity to meet different cultures, enhance their understanding of different beliefs and cultivate an inclusive attitude.
On display are the Chinese characters 'benevolence', 'righteousness', 'courtesy', 'wisdom' and 'faith', those values thatembody Confucianism
The primary values of the Confucius Institute are Confucianism and the practice of traditional Chinese calligraphy. The Chinese characters "benevolence”, “righteousness”, “courtesy”, “wisdom” and “faith", put on display and representing the key ideas of Confucian philosophy, aroused the interest of teachers, students and parents. The CI teachers sought to fulfill their curiosity by delivering a basic introduction to Confucian philosophy.
Local students learning the meanings of their Chinese names
Many local primary school students asked the CI teachers to give them Chinese names and write them on red paper with brushes. This led to theirshowing interest in learning the pronunciation, meaning, structure and stroke sequence of written Chinese. Many students and parents wondered at the magic of Chinese calligraphy and struggled in their first attempts at writing Chinese characters using a brush. Some students told the CI teachers that they want to learn Chinese and know more about Chinese culture.
Local pupils working to read their Chinese names
In addition, the exquisite art of paper cutting of the zodiac animals sparked discussions one’s year of birth and its relation to personality traits. Participants at the Roadshow read descriptions of personality traits of people born in certain years, and their compared their own personality with what was predicted in the descriptions. They also compared them with the personalities of their friends and family members. During the break, traditional Chinese shuttlecock games attracted much interest and many participants.
Local pupils practice writing Chinese characters with a brush
After the event, those teachers and students in attendance expressed their gratitude to the CI teachers. The organizers of the Roadshow also expressed thanks to the Confucius Institute for its participation. The event facilitated greater understanding of Chinese culture and helped the Confucius Institute to better integrate into local educational and cultural activities.
