In midsummer, the campus of Liaoning Petrochemical University is lush, verdant and fragrant and birds’ twittering is heard here and there.

The sharing meeting of “National Treasures in Liaoning, A Feast for International College Students” was held in the lecture hall here on June 5. About 20 international students from Papua New Guinea, Algeria, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Namibia, Tanzania and other countries heard the stories of the national treasures in Liaoning for the first time. It was also their first time to immerse themselves in experiencing the charm of the national treasures in Liaoning.

When the sharing meeting began, the short video titled “Tile-end with Kui-dragon Design: Tile-ends of the Qin Dynasty, the Magnificence of an Empire” was played on the large screen. It was an episode from the series of short videos of National Treasures in Liaoning. The international students were immediately captivated by the largest tile-end that had been excavated in China to date. They watched the large screen intensively and were immersed fully in the history of a thousand years. Through the use of animation technology, the video showcased the past and present of tile-ends, one important component in ancient Chinese architecture, and conveyed the unique aesthetics of Chinese ancestors, and enabled the international students present to imagine in detail the magnificence and stateliness of the royal architecture of the Qin Dynasty. Next, Zhang Song, the creator in chief, gave a lecture titled “The National Treasures in the Jieshi Palace in Suizhong”. In the lecture, he further introduced in detail the exquisite Kui-dragon designs on the tile-ends, the Jiangnyushi Sites of the temporary imperial palace of the Qin and Han Dynasties, and the palace built by craftsmen of the Qin Dynasty more than 2,000 years ago. The international students were so deeply impressed by the magnificent pictures that they kept taking photos of “the tile-ends of the Qin Dynasty” and “the Magnificence of an Empire” on the PPT slides.

“I loved visiting museums when I was in my country. I haven’t got the opportunities to visit museums of Liaoning since I arrived. However, today I got to learn about the national treasures of Liaoning without leaving the campus. It made me resonate with the rich culture and excellent achievements of civilization of Liaoning”. Khamroev Khasanboy, an international student from Tajikistan, said that “every national treasure in Liaoning is the best teller of the stories of China, which can tell the history and wisdom of China to people all over the world. During my study in Liaoning, I will know about more national treasures in Liaoning and tell the stories of these national treasures to my family and friends back in my country”.

“I was fascinated by everything I saw today. Every single scene in the video impressed me deeply”, wondered Ralitsa Uamusse, an international student from Mozambique. “The animation effect was so vivid and lifelike that the history of 1,000 years seemed to unfold slowly right in front of your eyes”.

After the sharing meeting, Ryma who was an international student from Algeria, and several students eagerly expressed their wishes to visit the Liaoning Provincial Museum: “I really like the lecture today. I learned a lot about cultural relics. Now I am eagerly looking forward to visiting the museums all over Liaoning. If we could have classes at the museums and learn about the history and culture of China there, it would be really amazing.”

“Cultural relics are crucial carriers of cultures. The booming demand for culture, which has been awakened by national treasures, reflects the enduring charm of traditional culture. The activity of ‘National Treasures in Liaoning, A Feast for International College Students’ demonstrates the project strategies of Chinese characteristics, cultural connotations and international expression, which attract more young people to experience the unique charm of traditional Chinese culture. It also spreads the stories of the national treasures in Liaoning to the world through the international students in Liaoning and expands the influence of Chinese culture,” said Shi Liju, the deputy secretary of the general Party branch of CPC and deputy dean of International Education College, Liaoning Petrochemical University.

In reply to the students’ “requests”, Shi Liju said that “arrangements are sure to be made” and “implemented straight away”. After the activity ended, the teachers in the college lost no time in contacting the Liaoning Provincial Museum and made appointments to organize international students to have a study tour at the museum within the week. “In the momentum of the sharing meeting, we will ‘move’ our classes on traditional Chinese culture to the museum, experience the diverse and rare treasures of the history and culture of Liaoning, and stimulate students’ enthusiasm to learn about Chinese culture through immersive experiences. Through this activity, we hope that more international students will pay attention to, learn about, and spread the stories of the national treasures of Liaoning”.