A six-member delegation led by Kurt Rainer Erich Kast, Vice President of the Federation of German-Chinese Friendship Associations and Honorary Chairman of the Mainz-Wiesbaden German-Chinese Friendship Association, paid a visit to Xianyang Polytechnic Institute on April 9 for in-depth cultural and artistic exchanges.
Liu Wei, Party Secretary and Chairman of Xianyang Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, Wang Min’an, Vice President of Xianyang People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, and relevant officials from Xianyang Foreign Affairs and Reception Center attended the exchange event. The delegation was received by Feng Hua, Vice President of Xianyang Polytechnic Institute, along with representatives from the Office of International Exchange and Cooperation, the School of Medicine, and the School of Normal Education, as well as teachers and students.
The delegation joined a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) cultural exchange session organized by the School of Medicine. Delegates experienced time-honored TCM therapies including tuina massage, moxibustion and cupping therapy firsthand. They also enjoyed live performances of Tai Chi Fan and Baduanjin (Eight-Section Brocade), and tried their hands at making Chinese herbal sachets. The German guests spoke highly of the unique charm of traditional Chinese medical culture and craftsmanship. They expressed the willingness to introduce characteristic TCM therapies and health preservation culture to Germany, allowing more German people to embrace the wisdom of traditional Chinese medicine and share wellness gains.
The highlight of the event was the gala Qin Melodies & German Harmonies: Sino-German Art & Culture Gala in Xianyang, where teachers and students from the School of Normal Education staged joint performances with German artists. Delivering an address on behalf of the institute, Feng Hua said the gala dovetailed perfectly with the institute’s ongoing campaign of "Introducing 100 Elegant Art Events to Campus". The activity is in line with the institute’s commitment to enriching campus cultural life, elevating artistic literacy among teachers and students, and broadening their global cultural vision.
German singer David Jacob Schlag and pianist Franciscus Benedict Benedict Baum shared the stage with faculty and students of Xianyang Polytechnic Institute. Chinese and German artistic works were presented in tandem, creating a wonderful integration of Eastern and Western cultures and offering the audience a high-grade artistic feast. Linked by music and bonded by art, the two sides enhanced mutual understanding and deepened friendship amid melodious tunes and songs.
The visit of the German delegation serves as a significant move for Xianyang Polytechnic Institute to advance internationalized schooling and deepen people-to-people and cultural exchanges between China and foreign countries. Taking this exchange as a new starting point, the institute will further expand international cooperation channels and deepen pragmatic cooperation with Germany in vocational education and cultural undertakings. It will add its due share to advancing the Belt and Road Initiative and deepening people-to-people exchanges between China and foreign nations.