[The United Kingdom] Holmes Chloe Rose, Beijing Foreign Studies University

Before learning Chinese, I was just an ordinary English student.

My first contact with China was through Chinese food. When I was a child, my grandparents used to take me to eat in London’s Chinatown. At that time, at first glance, I was attracted by the traditional Chinese buildings and the red lanterns, which were colorful and were so different. And the smell of Chinese food in the air made me feel salivating.

In the end, my grandparents chose a Chinese restaurant and took me to an authentic Chinese meal. The food in this restaurant was so complete with color, flavor and taste that it tasted much better than the Chinese takeout I ordered in the UK. I was intoxicated with each mouthful. On that day, we had Beijing Roast Duck, Northeast dumplings, shredded potatoes, noodles with soybean paste and sour plum soup. The color and shape of these foods brightened my eyes. After eating the delicious food, my sense of taste was greatly stimulated, and I really felt the happiness on the tip of my tongue. From that day on, Chinese food has become my favorite food.

Tasting delicious food is a kind of cultural experience, which can not only make us appreciate the characteristic flavors of different countries and places, but is also an exploration—discovering new tastes and new cultures. I think English food is completely different from Chinese food. English food does not have many tastes and seasonings, while Chinese food has many different seasonings, such as salt, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, pepper, Sichuan pepper, cumin and so on. Because China has a vast territory and the climates in the north and the south are different, there are different cuisines in different regions. If you like spicy food, you can eat Sichuan cuisine or Hunan cuisine; if you like seafood, you can eat Zhejiang cuisine or Cantonese cuisine; if you like light and sweet dishes, you can eat Fujian cuisine; if you like meat, you can go to Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia to eat kebabs and Roast Lamb Leg.

When I was in high school, in order to learn more about China, I watched Chinese TV dramas or cultural programs whenever I had time. I found that the plays about Chinese history, myths and legends were very interesting. I liked the costumes worn by actors, especially Han clothes and cheongsam, which were very beautiful! When I first watched the plays, I couldn’t understand what the actors said, but I was very excited. Every time I finished watching a play, I became more interested in Chinese history, myths and legends. So, after class, I looked up the information and compared the art and cultural history of China and Britain. I was surprised to find that the cultural differences between the two countries were so great. I also studied the art, literature and drama of the Ming Dynasty and compared it with the British history of the same period. During that period, China was ruled by a dynasty for nearly 300 years, while Britain experienced three different historical periods. No wonder the art, literature, drama and culture of China and Britain differ completely. As for myths and legends, there were many fairy tales in China at that time, such as those about Sun Wukong, Chang’e, Hou Yi and the Chinese zodiac. In England at the same time, there were myths and legends about King Arthur, George and dragons, and fairies in the lake. In short, the more I study, the more I realize that Chinese and English art and culture are worthy of continuous studying and exploring by us young generation.

Before the end of high school, the history teacher asked us to choose a period of time in a country, investigate all aspects of that period, and then write an article according to the survey. After repeated consideration, I chose to study China in the 18th and early 19th centuries. In the course of the investigation, I learned how China changed from a feudal country to a country that accepted communist ideas. I also learned about the common history between Britain and China. It turns out that Britain and China have been in contact and carried out various business activities for more than 200 years. In order to write the report more objectively, I also visited the British Museum. There, I witnessed beautiful Chinese collections, including Chinese paintings, ceramics, statues, scrolls, etc. Everything is so beautiful and full of strong oriental flavor. At that moment, a seed of learning Chinese was planted in my heart -- after graduating from high school, I will go to the University of Westminster, where I can continue to learn Chinese and learn more about Chinese culture and history.

After graduating from the University of Westminster, I plan to study in London and Italy for two years for a master’s degree in international relations and diplomacy, because I hope to become a British diplomat in the future and contribute to the Sino-British exchanges.

In order to realize my dream, I decided to study abroad for one year. During the year of studying in the Further-study Department of the School of Chinese Language and Literature of Beijing Foreign Studies University, although learning Chinese was full of challenges for me, I gained a lot. I met a lot of Chinese and foreign friends. I regained my confidence in learning Chinese and got good grades in the exams. Immersed in the ocean of Chinese culture, I have a deeper understanding of Chinese culture and history.

If one wants to understand a country, one must understand the language, culture and history of that country. In my opinion, Chinese, you are the most beautiful language in the world. The closer I am to you, the more attracted I am by you!