CLEC People

Meet Nmili Ilham, a young woman from Morocco who defied everyone telling her "The Chinese language is too hard, you'll never learn it". Despite all of the doubters, she made up her mind to travel to China.

Just two years later, she successfully passed the HSK Level-5 exam.

"Many people ask me how I made it," she shares. "My answer is simple. I memorize and write Chinese characters again and again. I work out how words connect to form sentences. But most importantly, I feel the culture behind the language — a civilization spanning thousands of years."

Stories from her HSK textbooks touched her deeply. The ancient tale of Zilu carrying rice from more than 100 li (50km) away for his parents struck a chord with her. The principle "filial piety comes first" gave her a valuable lesson far beyond language learning. Reading about the origins of Chinese New Year brought back warm memories of celebrating Spring Festival with local Chinese families.

"At its heart, language is the bond that connects people to one another."

Meet Lin Shi, a young talent from Tanzania who adopted this beautiful Chinese name. Fluent in Mandarin, she has fallen deeply in love with traditional Chinese culture. She is often heard practicing elegant Yuju Opera melodies backstage while getting ready, showcasing the timeless charm of this traditional Chinese art in Africa.

Her Chinese language journey began in middle school, when she attended her first Chinese language class. Eager to polish her pronunciation and oral skills, she immersed herself in Chinese movies and songs, practicing every single word intently. Starting as a student at the Confucius Institute at the University of Dodoma, she blossomed into a local Chinese teacher. In 2023, she joined a teacher exchange program and traveled to Zhengzhou, Henan, where she received systematic professional training in Yuju Opera under the guidance of local Chinese instructors.

She was instantly amazed by the bold, powerful, and infectious vocals of Yuju Opera. Driven by passion, she devoted herself to rigorous daily training, refining her vocal delivery, breathing control, and stage movements repeatedly to perfect every detail of her performance.

Today, Lin Shi stands firmly on the teaching podium, inspiring more young people to learn Chinese, while carrying forward the beauty of Yuju Opera in traditional costumes. In her lively classroom, students greet each other in Chinese, dreaming of becoming professional translators or pursuing further studies in China.

"Without the Chinese language, I would never have my current career, nor would I have the chance to study in China," she shares sincerely. "Chinese has broadened my worldview and empowered me to build a heartfelt bridge connecting Tanzania and China."

From learning the Chinese language to truly understanding China, Sri Lankan young Sinologist T.KA.P. Kumura, known by his Chinese name as An Xile, has journeyed across more than 25 Chinese provinces over the past decade.

Since 2012, he has completed his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in China. After returning to his home country to teach Chinese, he came back to China under the China Studies Program to further his academic research, dedicating 10 years to building a profound bond with China.

An Xile explores the authentic China with his footsteps. He volunteered as a teacher at a rural high school in Ganzhou, Jiangxi province and witnessed how digital empowerment revitalizes rural governance in Wusi village, Zhejiang province. These immersive grassroots experiences have shaped his unique understanding of the China Studies Program.

From her first trip to Dalian in the summer of 2008, to winning the first prize at the 2011 Chinese Bridge Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign College Students, — and now pursuing her doctoral degree at Peking University — Elena Kozhevnikova’s bond with the Chinese language has stretched for nearly two decades.

After claiming the top award at the Chinese Bridge in 2011, Elena pursued her master's degree at Peking University. Upon graduation, she worked as a language teacher for seven years. During her teaching career, she noticed some common challenges facing foreign language learners with different native tongues. Eager to dive deeper into this field, she returned to Peking University for her PhD.

Her doctoral research centers on second language acquisition. She has offered optional Russian courses at primary schools, and actively taken part in academic forums and cultural exchange events. From the Chinese Bridge competition stage to Peking University, Elena has devoted herself to teaching and academic research. She hopes to keep contributing to the study and teaching of Chinese as a second language, using language as a bridge linking nations, cultures and academic communities worldwide.

Daniela Vargas Medina, known also by her Chinese name as Wan Danni, hails from the Dominican Republic. She is a student at the Confucius Institute at the Santo Domingo Institute of Technology and champion of the Dominican Republic regional round of the 19th "Chinese Bridge" Chinese Proficiency Competition for foreign secondary school students.

To Daniela, every Chinese character resembles a miniature painting brimming with profound history and timeless stories, while each tone carries melodic rhythms that convey distinct meanings.

Over more than a year of learning the Chinese language, she has come a long way: from seeing Chinese characters as intricate little drawings to practicing them diligently, from struggling to distinguish the pronunciation of "buy" and "sell" to communicating fluently in Chinese language. Her Chinese language learning journey has brought her abundant knowledge, pure joy, and a circle of new friends from all corners of the globe.

For Daniela, Chinese language is a one-of-a-kind key that unlocks the vibrant, diverse world of Chinese culture step by step.