2021.10.26

(Translated by Zhang Yaping, Proofread by Sun Wei ) On October 20, the 2021 Oracle Cup "Me and Chinese Characters" Speech Contest for International Studentswas held in Anyang City, Henan Province. After fierce competition, NKU competitors Hou Zimo(Tajikistan)and ZhouJingya (Germany) wonthechampionshipand the Best Language Award, respectively. Hou Zimo is a postgraduate student in international education at theCollege ofChinese Language and Culture, enrolled in 2021, and Zhou Jingya an undergraduateat the School of Literature, enrolled in 2018.

This contest attracted international students from 9 universities, including Nankai University, Beijing Foreign Studies University, and Beijing Language and Culture University. Competitors are requiredto tell the world how they perceive China through sharing what they have learned during the investigation in Anyang, a city located in the hinterland of Central China.Among them, students from Russia, South Korea and other countries shared their recognition and understanding of Chinese characters, Anyang City and Henan Province. Their powerful and impassioned speeches won rounds of applause from the audience.

Hou Zimo (left), Zhou Jingya (right)

Nankai University participated in theSpeech Contest for the first time. Hou Zimo, in his speech of “Me and Chinese Characters:Entering Anyang City, the Cradle of Chinese Characters”, not only recounted his visit to Mr. Zhao Lizhi, the first person to innovateand inherit the bird-and-insect script and the inheritor of intangible cultural heritage, but also narratedhis own learning and understanding of Chinese characters. When making the speech in Chinese, he spoke fluently with good pronunciation and expressive face. Adding no extra words, Zhou Jingyasimply employed“Me and Chinese Characters” as the whole title of her speech, and skillfully talked about the change of ancient and modern Chinese characters as well as introducedseveral new Chinese charactersontheInternet,such as "孖" and “又双叒叕”. Zhou Jingya received favorable remarks ofon-the-spot judges and audience for her vivid and interesting speech delivered in standard Mandarin.

It is understood that the "Me and Chinese" Speech Contest for International Students is usually hosted by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, whilethis year's speech contest, i.e., the fourthone, wasco-hosted by the Anyang Municipal People's Government, the Foreign Affairs Office of the Henan Provincial People's Government, and the Henan People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries.