An Italian expat living in China has stepped into the shoes of a staff member of Chengdu's historic Wuhou Shrine during the May Day holiday, taking on tasks in cultural parades and souvenir-selling.
Nino is a young man from Italy who has been living in Chengdu for five years, working in the wine trade and cultural tourism. Passionate about Chinese culture, he got a chance to work in one of the city's top historic landmarks for a day. Known as the "mecca of the Three Kingdoms," Wuhou Shrine was constructed nearly 1,800 years ago to commemorate Zhuge Liang, a renowned military strategist in the Three Kingdom Period (220-280).
Stepping into the iconic shrine, Nino's first task was to prepare for the shrine's cultural parade featuring performers dressed up as celebrated heroes from the Three Kingdoms.
After getting into his costume and makeup, Nino has just 30 minutes to learn the basics of a traditional Chinese sport, "kongzhu," or Chinese yo-yo.
After countless failed attempts, Nino gradually got the hang of it.
"At beginning, I was a little scared that I would never succeed. I really don't know how to keep the [balance] and do the trick. Just have to practice these kinds of things, and I'm trying to do my best," he said.
In the street parade, Nino had to perform the Chinese yo-yo and keep up with the rhythm of the other performers. It wasn't perfect, but his focus and determination won over the crowd and earned him plenty of smiles and applause.
"It's easy to watch, not so easy to do. It was very demanding because It's the first time I play these games. I think it's fun and interesting, it's link with Chinese culture," Nino said of the experience.
After the parade, Nino faced his second challenge of the day - working at the shrine's Intangible Cultural Heritage market.
At the stall selling traditional Chinese herbal sachets, Nino's biggest challenge was learning the names and benefits of the different herbs. But through curiosity and effort, he gradually settled into the role, soon showing his knack for sales and connecting with visitors.
"These Chinese herbs, the smell was very good, and I can learn a little bit about the names of different herbs. And interacting with people is always very nice, they also ask 'where are you from', and you can chat a little bit with them. That's what I enjoyed most," said Nino.
For Nino, the day of hard work brought new challenges and unexpected joy. From performer to vendor, he didn't just experience tradition, he became part of it.
Italian expat experiences workday at famed Chinese shrine
