"China Pavilion" opens window for Kazakh people to understand China

Feature: "China Pavilion" opens window for Kazakh people to understand China

Cui Yuying (L, front), deputy director of China's State Council Information Office, talks with a Chinese folk artist during China Intangible Cultural Heritage Exhibition in Almaty, Kazakhstan, Aug. 26, 2016. A series of "Feel China in Kazakhstan" cultural activities kicked off on Friday in the Kazakh capital of Astana and its largest city of Almaty. (Xinhua/Pavel Mikheev)

ALMATY, Aug. 26 -- "I am glad that we can read books here not only in Chinese, but also in Russian and Kazakh languages," said Elizaveta, a primary school teacher in Almaty, as a China Pavilion opened here on Friday in the National Library of Kazakhstan.

The 270-square-meter China Pavilion, an important part of the four-day "Feel China" project in Kazakhstan, was divided into three zones: Chinese traditional culture experience zone; reading zone and smart life experience zone.

In the traditional culture experience zone, visitors could see and learn Chinese traditional cultures, such as musical instruments, chess, calligraphy, painting, abacus, and the magic Tangram, or seven-piece puzzle.

Besides, a three-meter-long Chinese dragon made of a kind of environmentally friendly paper exhibited the Chinese 3D painting carving technique.

Visitors pose for photos during the opening ceremony of China Pavilion at the National Library of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Almaty, Kazakhstan, Aug. 26, 2016. A series of "Feel China in Kazakhstan" cultural activities kicked off on Friday in the Kazakh capital of Astana and its largest city of Almaty. (Xinhua/Roman Gainanov)

In the reading zone, there were more than 8,000 volumes of books and videos and publications for visitors to learn about Chinese history, culture, language and economy. All the books and videos were donated by China.

Visitors could also see and feel the convenience and magic wonders thanks to China's own high technologies in the smart life zone.

The director of the National Library of Kazakhstan Zhanat Shaidumanov highly praised China Pavilion, which combined special and high technologies with traditional Chinese culture.

He said that "The China Pavilion provides visitors a closer look at Chinese culture and a good opportunity for the people of Kazakhstan to experience and understand China," adding that "I believe the China Pavilion will attract more readers and researchers."

A Chinese folk artist makes pottery artwork during China Intangible Cultural Heritage Exhibition in Almaty, Kazakhstan, Aug. 26, 2016. A series of "Feel China in Kazakhstan" cultural activities kicked off on Friday in the Kazakh capital of Astana and its largest city of Almaty. (Xinhua/Pavel Mikheev)

The pavilion was jointly sponsored by China's State Council Information Office, Information office of Chongqing municipal government and the National Library of Kazakhstan.

The opening ceremony of the China Pavilion was one of the most important parts of the "Feel China" project in Kazakhstan", which will last from Aug. 26 to 29 in the Kazakh capital of Astana and Almaty, the largest city of Kazakhstan.

The "Feel China" project was co-sponsored by China's State Council Information Office, the Chinese Embassy in Kazakhstan, the Chinese Consulate General in Almaty, the Foreign Ministry of Kazakhstan, the municipal governments of Astana and Almaty, and the governments of China's Henan, Hubei and Sichuan provinces as well as Chongqing Municipality.

The project, which opened for the first time in the Central Asia, is aimed to further strengthen cultural exchanges and deepen friendship between China and Kazakhstan.

A Chinese folk artist presents pottery artwork during China Intangible Cultural Heritage Exhibition in Almaty, Kazakhstan, Aug. 26, 2016. A series of "Feel China in Kazakhstan" cultural activities kicked off on Friday in the Kazakh capital of Astana and its largest city of Almaty. (Xinhua/Pavel Mikheev)