In September 2021, the Confucius Institute at the University of Bucharest in Romania arranged relevant courses in the new semester to meet local Chinese learning needs and overcome difficulties.

In addition to language courses, two new Chinese culture courses were added this semester. In one of the cultural courses-Chinese Art Appreciation, there was a student named Deacu Daniel, who was familiar and familiar with Chinese art, especially Chinese painting. The degree of love made the instructor amazed.

　　Daniel won the Romanian Division Champion of the 11th "Chinese Bridge" Chinese Proficiency Competition for World Middle School Students in 2018. He is now studying for a bachelor's degree in International Chinese Language Education at Beijing Language and Culture University.

Since the outbreak, Daniel has shared his Chinese learning experience and Chinese dreams online several times.

His story has inspired many Romanian Chinese learners.

　　Origin of Chinese Paintings in Chinese

　　Daniel, who studied painting since childhood, happened to see a book about traditional Chinese art translated into Romanian, and was deeply attracted by Chinese ink painting.

"This is very different from the sketching and watercolor paintings that I learned from childhood." Daniel said.

　　In 2014, Daniel saw the enrollment promotion of the Chinese class on the website of the University of Suceava Stefan, and signed up to start his own Chinese journey.

Speaking of the most difficult part of Chinese learning, Daniel smiled and replied: "Of course it is Chinese characters, but after understanding the structure of Chinese characters, radicals, etc., Chinese characters are not that difficult to learn." Speaking of which, Daniel is very good. Excited, and said to the author: "Do you know? In my heart, every Chinese character is a painting, which observes, reproduces, and describes the world. The word'laugh' makes people happy, and the character'crying' looks like Weeping. This is wonderful!"

　　Chinese painting for bridge chasing dreams

　　Daniel has been learning to paint since he can remember, and his main direction is drawing and watercolor painting.

In 2009, he began to study Chinese painting by himself and painted many works introducing China.

In those years, his paintings contained many Chinese elements, such as the Great Wall, dragon, plum, orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum.

The local people in Suceava, Romania, have deepened their understanding of China through his works.

　　Fortunately for Daniel, he has twice held solo exhibitions at the Chinese Embassy in Romania.

But in the view of Daniel today, the paintings at that time were not real Chinese paintings, but watercolor paintings influenced by the style of Chinese painting.

In order to have the opportunity to study real Chinese painting in China, Daniel has a dream and works hard to learn Chinese.

　　In 2018, at the age of 19, he won the first prize in the "Chinese Bridge" competition for Romanian middle school students, and therefore won the Chinese Government Scholarship.

　　In September 2019, Daniel became a student of Beijing Language and Culture University as he wished.

In China, he often participates in calligraphy activities, and at the same time uses his spare time to learn painting with Chinese students majoring in Chinese painting.

Looking back on the learning process, Daniel still remembers, “From then on, I started to learn real Chinese painting, and started to use brush, ink and rice paper.”

　　In January 2020, to celebrate the Spring Festival, the traditional Chinese holiday, Daniel, who returned to Romania during the winter vacation, held a solo exhibition in his hometown of Suceava. He introduced the knowledge he learned in China to the people in his hometown.

"That was my most satisfying solo exhibition." Daniel said.

　　Mutual learning from civilizations and telling good stories

　　In Daniel's eyes, western portrait photos are mainly used to copy real objects in color.

The Chinese painting is more like a poem, the ink painting is red and blue, the intensity is suitable, the intensity is light, and the light is dense.

In his view, Chinese painting expresses the artist's understanding of the world, and the philosophical thought contained therein is very profound. "I especially like the blank space in Chinese painting."

　　In 2018, Daniel represented Romanian middle school students to participate in the 11th "Chinese Bridge" Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign Middle School Students in China. He had never been to another country before.

During the competition, Daniel felt the collision of multiculturalism, and also felt the openness and tolerance of China, and changed his perspective on the world. "I think players from other countries are not as mysterious as I thought, and everyone can understand each other. . For me, the world has suddenly become very small. The trip to China made me understand how important it is to promote exchanges between different cultures."

　　Speaking of the future, Daniel has already planned his career. He returned to Romania after graduating from Beijing Language and Culture University to be a local Chinese teacher, teaching Chinese, and spreading Chinese painting and calligraphy.

"I want to tell Romanians that if they really understand Chinese, it won't be that difficult to learn." Since the epidemic, Daniel has shared his Chinese learning methods and experience online with Romanian students many times.

"I will also hold lectures and personal painting exhibitions to introduce Chinese painting and calligraphy art. Of course, if I have the opportunity, I hope that I can tell the story of Chinese painting and calligraphy not only in Romania, but also in Europe and even the world."

　　Daniel, who spoke in authentic Chinese throughout the interview, said modestly, "My level is still far behind, because there is no limit to learning."

　　(The author is a Chinese teacher at the Confucius Institute at the University of Bucharest, Romania)

　　Cao Ruihong