Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU) completed a three-week cultural tour across Germany, Belgium, and Hungary, showcasing Chinese artistic traditions and promoting international Chinese language education. The student art troupe toured from April 22 to May 1, combining performances, lectures, and exhibitions that bridge cultures through music, language, and art.
The delegation’s repertoire drew on BFSU’s distinctive strengths in language and performing arts, featuring traditional Chinese instrumental ensembles, Chinese-Western orchestral collaborations, multilingual choral performances, and an original cross-cultural comedy piece. Programs included works such as Dunhuang, performed on ancient Chinese instruments including guzheng, pipa, bamboo flute, and erhu, transporting audiences across the historic Silk Road; classical selections such as Chaotic Red, Pipa Language, Colored Clouds Chasing the Moon, and Harmony in Prosperity; a hybrid arrangement of Horse Racing that united traditional Chinese instruments with Western strings; and string quartet arrangements of beloved pieces including Butterfly Lovers and Yao Dance. An original stand-up comedy routine in multiple languages proved particularly resonant with overseas audiences, offering a dynamic vehicle for promoting the art of Chinese crosstalk internationally. The choir performed Jasmine Flower and As You Wish in Chinese, supplemented by renditions in German, French, and English, while encores of Auld Lang Syne and Hungarian Dance No. 5 brought audiences to their feet.
The tour encompassed performances at four major cultural venues: the Academic Confucius Institute Göttingen in Germany; the Confucius Institute in Liège and the Brussels Chinese Cultural Center in Belgium; and the Confucius Institute at Eötvös Loránd University in Hungary. The Brussels performance coincided with celebrations marking the 20th anniversary of the Confucius Institute in Liège and the 55th anniversary of China-Belgium diplomatic relations. The performance in Brussels was integrated into an International Chinese Language Day celebration hosted by the Chinese Embassy in Belgium and the Center for Language Education and Cooperation, alongside an interactive cultural fair featuring calligraphy, traditional paper-cutting, traditional clothing displays, and games. The 20th anniversary gala of the Confucius Institute at Eötvös Loránd University featured coordinated artistic and martial performances celebrating Sino-Hungarian cultural exchange.
Multiple dignitaries attended and addressed the events, including Fei Shengchao, Chinese Ambassador to Belgium; Gong Tao, Chinese Ambassador to Hungary; and Liu Xinlu, vice president of BFSU. All praised the delegation’s role in advancing international Chinese language promotion and people-to-people exchange, recognizing the student art troupe as bridge-builders fostering mutual understanding through youth engagement.
Beyond performances, BFSU faculty and students engaged in substantive exchanges with counterparts at the University of Göttingen and Eötvös Loránd University, jointly learning and performing Jasmine Flower alongside local folk traditions. Members of the traditional music ensemble delivered presentations on Chinese instruments—the erhu, pipa, and zhongruan—explaining their historical significance and offering hands-on demonstrations. The choir organized flash mob performances in town squares across Göttingen, Liège, and Budapest, drawing crowds with spirited renditions that transcended geographic boundaries. The delegation also presented a guzheng to the Confucius Institute in Liège, leaving a meaningful cultural legacy. Additionally, the troupe visited the European Union headquarters to study EU policies and practices regarding cultural diversity and international people-to-people exchange.
The tour garnered widespread media coverage both domestically and internationally. Xinhua News Agency reported on the delegation’s activities in Hungary in Chinese and English; People’s Daily featured the Brussels performance in its coverage of International Chinese Language Day celebrations; and Göttingen’s cultural bureau documented the delegation’s visit.
