In 2017
A folk song "Chengdu" is popular all over the country
It has attracted countless tourists from all over the world to check in Chengdu
There are also people
who fall in love with a city because of a song
01 《Cheng Du》
The Best City
Ivan is a 21-year-old German exchange student at Sichuan University. During his high school years in Germany, he joined the Chinesisch-Chor an der Burg to learn to sing Chinese songs. The folk song Chengdu introduced him to this city in the East that encompasses both modernity and tradition. After his graduation in high school, the young German packed his bags and traveled across mountains and seas to study in Chengdu, some 8,000 kilometers away from home. Chengdu Plus captured the story of this young German's connection with China.
The Chinesisch-Chor an der Burg, which Ivan was a part of, was founded in 2014. Its initial purpose was to introduce Chinese culture and music, as well as to improve Chinese proficiency, through singing Chinese songs. In 2021, the choir established the world's first Chinese music classroom.
The state of North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany, where the Chinesisch-Chor an der Burg is located, is one of Germany’s leading states in offering Chinese language teaching. Forty-five high schools offer Chinese as an elective course. Currently, nearly 5,000 students are learning Chinese in German primary and secondary schools.
During the summer vacation of 2017, Ivan and his choir members visited Chengdu for an exchange program. He was drawn to Yulin Street by the song Chengdu and was deeply captivated by the city's blend of artistic and urban vibes. As a result, after graduating from high school, Ivan applied for a scholarship from the Chinese government and became an exchange student at Sichuan University.
Ivan considers Chengdu his second hometown. With Chengdu being the first Chinese song he truly loves and can sing by heart, guided by the music, he decided to revisit the city he believes to be the greatest.
01 Across Mountains and Seas
Continue the Relationship
The first stop on Ivan's Chengdu trip was to revisit Yulin Road, where he had previously walked with his choir members. On the sun-dappled and bustling Yulin Road, he ordered a bowl of noodles and enjoyed the spicy delicacies of Chengdu while observing the leisurely and beautiful cityscape. Recalling warm scenes of singing Chinese songs and laughing with his German classmates brought a welcome tinge of nostalgia.
Being referred to as the Park City, Chengdu is the only major city in the world where one can gaze upon 5,000-meter snow-capped mountains and is implementing a new Park City concept demonstration zone. Greenways connect parks filled with poetic landscapes of green trees and red flowers, stimulating everyone's exercise dopamine. Ivan entered the park and had a table tennis match with local elders, feeling the harmonious and beautiful atmosphere of the city through each swing of the paddle.
Qingcheng Mountain is one of China's four major Taoist mountains. Its spiritual mountains and beautiful waters nurture a sense of aesthetic beauty and human warmth. Curious about the Chinese philosophy of Tao, Ivan came here to enjoy the mountain views of snowy peaks, listen to the stories of sages, and learn the profound oriental philosophy and wisdom.
Today, many foreigners like Ivan are learning Chinese, understanding Chinese language culture, and falling in love with China. As Ivan said, learning a language is the best way to integrate into a local culture. Language acting as a bridge to connect cultures, we believe the exchange and dialogue between civilizations will bring people all over the world closer.
Reprinted From Chengdu Plus