Chinese President Xi Jinping attached great importance to the cultural exchanges between China and France, highlighting it as a fine example for mutual learning among civilizations worldwide.
The year 2024 marks the 60th anniversary of China-France diplomatic ties. The past six decades saw closer ties between the two countries, as French President Emmanuel Macron visited China last April, and Xi is set to pay a state visit to France in May this year.
The cultural exchanges between China and France are one of the areas that has yielded fruitful results, as both countries have rich and unique civilizations.
During Xi's state visit to France in 2014, the Chinese president visited the former site of the Franco-Chinese Institute in Lyon and met Chinese translator Li Zhihua to stress bilateral people-to-people and cultural exchanges.
Li, then a 99-year-old translator residing in France, rode his wheelchair back to his alma mater to meet Xi. Li spent 27 years to finish the French translation of the whole book of Chinese classic novel "A Dream of Red Mansions," and was the first person introducing this Chinese classic masterpiece to France.
Xi asked about his life and health, and highly praised him as an outstanding representative of the students of the Lyon Franco-Chinese Institute for his spirit of dedication and his academic talent.
"'A Dream of Red Mansions' is wonderful. I read it many times when I was a kid. I am pretty familiar with it," said Li in an interview.
"The one single thing I do is facilitate cultural exchanges between China and France," Li said with modesty.
Li's efforts in the translation and introduction of the Chinese classic novel to French readers offered a glimpse of cultural exchanges between two countries.
In his speech to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of China-France diplomatic relations in Paris, Xi said both Chinese and French people are fascinated by each other's cultures and civilizations.
"Our two peoples are fascinated by each other's distinctive cultures. In history, Chinese culture was greatly admired in France. The influence of Chinese culture can be found in the writings of French Enlightenment thinkers and the interior decoration of Versailles. Similarly, the masterpieces of French writers and artists are popular in China," said Xi.
Xi said he personally also shares a deep interest in French culture.
"In my youth, I developed a keen interest in French culture and particularly French history, philosophy, literature and art. Learning about the French culture has helped me better appreciate both the Chinese culture and the profound nature and rich diversity of human civilizations," he said.
Last year, during Macron's China visit, Xi and Macron enjoyed an ancient Chinese tune symbolizing friendship, as the two heads of state met together in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou.
Macron showed a keen interest in the music, played on an ancient stringed instrument called guqin, and asked for the tune's name.
"The name is 'High Mountains and Flowing Water'. The thousands-year-old masterpiece has just been played on a thousands-year-old instrument. 'High Mountains and Flowing Water' is a beautiful ancient story about a cherished friendship formed between the two people," Xi explained to Macron.
The China-France cultural exchanges further enhanced this year as various activities have been held in both countries.
In January, France-China Year of Culture and Tourism was launched at the Harbin Ice and Snow World in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province.
The Yuyuan Garden lantern fair, one of China's national intangible cultural heritages, lit up the chilly winter nights in Paris of France.
In Beijing, an exhibition jointly held by the Palace Museum and the Palace of Versailles, focusing on the exchanges between China and France in the 17th and 18th centuries, opens as a key project in the China-France Year of Culture and Tourism in 2024.
As Xi said in a video speech celebrating the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and France early this year, the bilateral cultural exchanges have become an example for mutual learning among different civilizations in the world.
"From aircraft, satellites and nuclear power plants to wine, cheese and cosmetics, cooperation between China and France encompasses both cutting-edge and down-to-earth sectors. From establishing cultural centers in each other's country to organizing cultural and language exchange years, China-France cultural exchanges have set an example for mutual learning among civilizations worldwide. We should uphold mutual understanding. We can take the 2024 China-France Year of Culture and Tourism and the Paris Olympic Games as opportunities to expand cultural and people-to-people exchanges and promote closer people-to-people ties," said Xi.
Xi highlights cultural exchanges between China, France to promote mutual learning
