More than 500 Egyptian students learning the Chinese language joined a Chinese proverbs competition on Friday in Cairo, demonstrating how young people in the North African country are using Chinese sayings to explore shared values and to strengthen cultural ties.
Proverbs are words of wisdom that have been resonating with people for hundreds and sometimes thousands of years. They are lessons shared from one generation to the other and, in a globalized world, they've become a way for civilizations to communicate.
"We founded this competition to deepen the friendship between Egypt and China. The purpose is not just to teach Egyptians the Chinese language as characters and sentences, but to improve skills in comprehending proverbs and wisdom, how can that be translated and delivered in the best possible way, such as (switch to Chinese) 'Yu Gong Yi Shan,' (switch to Arabic) which reflects that with perseverance, mountains can be moved,” Khaled Mohamed, an instructor of Chinese language from October 6 University (06U), said in a mixture of Chinese and Arabic.
"Next year will be the ceremony marking the 70th anniversary of Chinese-Egyptian relations, so we decided to make this competition to encourage the youth to speak Chinese, which I think is the language of the future. This competition is like a bridge which connects Chinese culture with Egyptian culture,” said Mohamed Gehad, the competition's organizer from China International Communication Group.
Organizers say 560 students from more than 22 universities and schools across the country participated in the event, the second of its kind in Egypt. The youngest competitor was just eight years old. The challenge was to choose one Chinese proverb and create a video explaining the meaning behind it, a journey that helped Chinese language students learn more about China's cultural heritage and about its similarities with their own culture.
The first prize went to Ahmed Abdelaziz from Gharbia University. He won a 10-day trip to China. The rest of the winners got cash prizes that range from 60 to 100 U.S. dollars.
"'Zhi Zu Chang Le' - (switch to Arabic) that is the proverb I chose. We have something similar in Arabic. It means that contentment is an everlasting treasure. This is a very important principle in our lives. The video I made was the story about a father and a son who lived a very poor life. The father was content, but the son was angry with their life. The father then dies, and the son learns the true meanings of life,” he said.
Shahd Adel from Luxor University, who came second in the competition, said that by studying Chinese proverbs she had gained a deeper understanding of Chinese culture and history, and discovered a closer connection between the two civilizations.
"I learned that pre-industrial China was almost identical to the Egyptian countryside in the past. We both like eating roasted seeds, which are originally from China. We both look up with respect to traits like patience and perseverance. Like us, they have a great sense of humor. Like the Arabic language, the Chinese language cherishes poetry," she said.
Egyptian students explore ancient wisdom, shared values in Chinese proverb contest
