US first lady shows character during maiden visit to China

Chinese President Xi Jinping (2nd L) and his wife Peng Liyuan (1st L) meet with US First Lady Michelle Obama (C) in Beijing, capital of China, March 21, 2014. [Photo/Xinhua]

Obama said she had been impressed by her experiences during the day and expected to make more visits to China. Peng later hosted a dinner for the guests.

The two first ladies turned on the style. Peng wore a dark blue, long suit dress in the morning and a black Chinese-style suit for the official meeting. Obama was dressed in black and white in the morning, changing into a red dress in the afternoon.

In the morning at the high school, Lu Yuhong, an outstanding student in the elective calligraphy class, acted as mentor for Obama’s Chinese calligraphy skills.

"I was very nervous at first," said Lu, 17. His right hand shook when he showed Obama how to write the character.

But she made him relax. "I’ll be worse," she said, drawing laughter from those in the classroom.

Lu said later, "The character of yong is our wish for China-US relations."

Standing next to Obama, a smiling Peng gave the lesson her full attention and showed her US guest how to hold the brush.

Peng also wrote a piece of calligraphy and presented it to Obama as a gift. The piece reads 厚德載物 (houde zaiwu), which means that great virtue carries all things.

Some of the students in the class are from the US and are spending a year in China. About 800 students attend the school and about a quarter of them are international students.

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