Shanxi University shapes global cultural ambassadors

In recent years, Shanxi University in Taiyuan, Shanxi province, has actively responded to the national strategy of opening up education to the outside world, building a three-pronged educational framework of language foundation, professional empowerment and cultural integration.

With the goal of cultivating international youth with a global perspective, the university has integrated international student education into its overall "Double First-Class" initiative, a government program to enhance higher education quality and global competitiveness.

The university offers over 400 international students various activities such as pipa playing, traditional Chinese painting, and tea art experiences, allowing them to deeply engage with China's intangible cultural heritage and build bridges for international cultural exchange.

During this year's Spring Festival, a video of Egyptian student Elhomosany Hesham Ramzy performing a spectacular lion dance atop a towering scaffold went viral.

The 29-year-old was demonstrating a Chinese tradition that is over 1,000 years old.

"I want to serve as a bridge," said Elhomosany. "I want to show people how beautiful China's traditional folk arts are and help more foreigners discover China."

His story is just one example of how Shanxi University uses cultural immersion to shape its international students into global ambassadors.

The university integrates these students into campus life through hands-on experiences with China's intangible cultural heritage. As a result, students are not only participating but also excelling.

In May, 15 international students from the university won various awards at the 2025 Shanxi Provincial College Students "Intangible Cultural Heritage: Youth Campus Speech" Competition.

Vietnamese student Tran Thi My Hanh won first place with her paper-cutting art after a month of intensive study with a master artist.

"As an international student who loves Chinese culture, I hope to introduce China's intangible cultural heritage to more young people overseas and bring this skill back to my country," she said.

The university's students have also excelled in national competitions, such as "My Story of Chinese Hanzi" Competition and "My Beautiful Encounter with China" Essay Contest.

At the 2023 "My Story of Chinese Hanzi" national finals, Laotian student Senyord Chanmaly delivered a speech titled "What Is Homeland?" about her connection with China.

Growing up near Yunnan province, she was inspired by China's development, making study in China her long-held dream.

"Shanxi has played witness to over 5,000 years of civilization. The depth of its history and culture is astounding," she said, as she recounted her experience in the province. "By learning the stories of Shanxi merchants from the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911), I came to appreciate the region's defining traits - richness, magnanimity, and pragmatism, which led me to a new understanding of 'homeland' rooted in unity, loyalty, and dedication."

To enrich campus life and promote traditional culture, Shanxi University has established the Huitong International Student Community, where students immerse themselves in Chinese culture through activities such as practicing calligraphy, creating ink paintings, and weaving Chinese knots.

The community also serves as a platform for international students to share their own cultural traditions through performances and handicraft exhibitions.

In the calligraphy practice room, many international students have discovered the artistic pleasure of Chinese brush writing.

Mutangay Jesteben Béni, a 26-year-old student from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, shared his experience.

"Our instructors not only teach us how to recognize and write Chinese characters but also explain the rich cultural meanings behind them," he said.

"I've learned about the traditional 'Four Treasures of the Study' - brush, ink, paper, and inkstone," he said. "I've also come to know about Wang Xizhi, a renowned calligrapher whose masterpiece Lantingxu (Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion) is widely celebrated."

"With the goal of cultivating international talent, Shanxi University will provide a solid platform for international students to experience Chinese culture," said Feng Naichen, Party secretary of the School of International Education and Exchange.

"By gaining a deep understanding of China's history and modern development, the international students also help the world see a vibrant, multifaceted, and authentic China through their stories," he added.

Sun Shuyue contributed to this story.