'Chinese Bridge' contest showcases 76 international students in Tianjin

At the ongoing fifth "Chinese Bridge" Chinese Show for Foreign Primary School Students? in Tianjin, 76 contestants from 63 countries showcased their Chinese language proficiency and shared personal stories connected to Chinese culture.

Among the highlights were Australian contestant Ding Kai's rendition of Descendants of the Dragon, Portuguese competitor Molina's fan dance Floating Light, Japanese participant Sakurai Yuika's Beijing Opera piece Selling Water, and Bolivian contestant Catherine's song-and-dance performance South of the Colorful Clouds.

Several contestants described how learning Chinese had linked them to family traditions or new experiences.

"I'm a child who grew up listening to Chinese stories under the moonlight in Thailand," said Chen Huiqian, a contestant from Thailand. "Every Mid-Autumn Festival, my family sets up a table in our yard with jasmine flowers and mooncakes and prays together under the moon."

"My Chinese teacher told us the story of Chang'e flying to the moon and taught us Li Bai's poem Quiet Night Thoughts. When I looked at the moon in the textbook and then at the moon in Thailand, I suddenly realized — whether in Thailand or China, we are gazing at the same moon," Chen added.