Chinese-Canadian youth engage with traditional culture in Chongqing

By Liu Xinyu and Wo Xinyao

(ECNS) – The "China-Canada Youth Cultural Heritage Conservation International Volunteer Service" program and the China-Canada (Chongqing) Youth Cultural Heritage Art Exchange Camp were held in Chongqing from August 5 to 13.

The event aimed to place Chinese and foreign youth at the forefront of cultural heritage conservation, giving them a direct understanding of China's approaches and models in heritage protection.

During the event, a group of Chinese-Canadian youth visited the Chongqing Sichuan Opera Theatre, the Dazu Rock Carvings and other cultural sites. Through Sichuan opera experiences, heritage explorations and urban sketching, they gained a deeper understanding of cultural preservation.

After the event, the young participants' heritage-themed artworks and "heritage guardian diaries" will be exhibited in Ottawa, Canada, introducing Chongqing's cultural heritage and China's conservation philosophy to local communities.

Yiyi Kong, a Chinese-Canadian teenager, told China News Service (CNS): "From the boardwalk at Eling Park, we saw the cityscape of Chongqing -- the towering buildings rising and falling across the hills. It gave me a real sense of the city's unique charm. Once we entered the park, the trees were lush and thick, and we felt like we were stepping into a beautiful garden right in the middle of Chongqing. I think Chongqing is a truly magical city, full of so many different elements."

Eva Wang, another Chinese-Canadian participant, told CNS: "I tried on Sichuan opera makeup at the theatre, and later I did sketching at Mountain City Alley in Chongqing. People were passing by all around me, but during that half-hour of sketching, the world seemed to go quiet. I want to capture these details in my drawings and bring them back to Canada, so my friends can see that Chongqing is more than just what you see in short videos. With my eyes and my brush, I want to show the real China to the world."

Linya Feng, a Chinese-Canadian teenager, told CNS: "I plan to make the Dazu Rock Carvings a long-term subject of study and to spread the outstanding traditional culture of China to the world."

The event was supported by the Chongqing Luhai International Communication Foundation, the Dazu Rock Carving Research Institute, the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute and other organizations.