Beijing embraces Russian guests with culture

"My youngest son and his wife opened their mouths in surprise at the Beijing airport and could not close them until the end of the trip," recalling his family's recent travel to Beijing, Yuri Nagornyak laughed with joy.

Nagornyak was among the 200 Russians invited by the Chinese government to visit Beijing during the National Day holidays in October.

Fifty Beijing families hosted their Russian guests, embracing them with the immersion of traditional Chinese culture, tastes of oriental lifestyles and eye-catching changes of the capital city.

As a member of the Russian State Duma Russia-China Committee and executive secretary of the parliamentary group "Friendship with China," China has always been a keyword for Nagornyak.

Though he's been to China several times, this time, together with family members, Nagornyak expected his children to feel the country for themselves.

"They touched China not as something abstract and far away. They saw one city but felt the spirit of the whole country. They saw people and knew how they live, what their real lives were," Nagornyak said.

Nagornyak's sons were "deeply touched" by the Great Wall and the strength behind it, he said. "The Great Wall reflects Chinese people's diligence and creativity. Such a creation could not appear in any other place," Nagornyak said.

Like Nagornyak, it was not the first China tour for Alexander Smirnov, but this time, his portrait of the country became more vivid.

Smirnov has learned Chinese martial arts since young and is the president of a Russian cultural exchange fund. His wife Ekaterina Vorona is an artist who has got familiar with works of renowned Chinese artist Qi Baishi since college years. Thus, the love for Chinese culture is sort of "family cement," Vorona told Xinhua.

During her stay in Beijing, Vorona quickly fell in love with Chinese cuisine. Their seven-year-old boy loved Peking Duck while Vorona preferred Sichuan Hot Pot, which "consists of prevalent fresh vegetables and meats in special sauces."

She also learned Chinese calligraphy from the host and taught their daughter the history of European painting. "We had an inter-family cultural exchange. And not only culture, our children did homework together at the same table," Vorona smiled.

The little Smirnov spent a week "full of joy and fun," kicking shuttlecock, learning paper cutting, playing Chinese chess, flying kites, and even making dumplings with his new Chinese friends.

In the eyes of the Smirnov family, Chinese younger generations are careful to keep their traditions and cherish their culture roots. Their host family, for example, had a room for calligraphy and taught their school-aged daughter calligraphy everyday.

The week-long folk exchanges, organized within the framework of the China-Russia Tourism Year, also received warm feedback from Ekaterina Selezneva, a projects director of the Russian museum exhibition association Manezh.

Chinese people's positive attitudes toward life, as well as their hospitality and familiarity, gave her deep impression.

Once they went out eating at a Chinese restaurant, the hostess brought up forks and knives for Selezneva who was not good at using chopsticks. "In fact everything was thought out in advance, and it was done very politely and tactfully," Selezneva said.

As a museum insider, Selezneva was also impressed by the scale and quality of the National Museum of China.

During her visit, a show dedicated to the Italian Renaissance presenting works of Raphael, Botticelli and Leonardo da Vinci was going on.

"Me as a museum employee know clearly the worth of the project. And I realize how much the Chinese government is investing into the culture." the lady said, adding she naturally felt a twinge of envy.

Having been to China five years ago during the 2008 Olympics, Selezneva witnessed tremendous changes taking place in the country. "The first time I was in Beijing, the capital was like a huge construction site with cranes everywhere." Now, there are more skyscrapers while the city becomes greener.

Selezneva was grateful to the Chinese government and her host family. "We sincerely thank our wonderful hosts, and are also keen to do something wonderful for them in Moscow," she said.

According to Smirnov, the cultural ties between Russia and China should be further strengthened. "Our economic relations are growing rapidly. I would like to see the cultural exchanges between our two great countries and neighbors worked just as well."

Smirnov intended to invite Chinese artists to exhibit in Russia, hoping Russian people who have never been to China could touch the tempo of China through art.

"In China here are many bright artists. We saw them in Beijing. They should be brought to here," Smirnov said.