Feature: Deepening China-France cultural exchanges in eyes of former French PM

TAIYUAN, Oct. 24 (Xinhua) -- Amidst the festive sounds of gongs and drums, a newlywed couple, sitting in a bridal sedan chair surrounded by a crowd, had their traditional Chinese wedding in the village of Suzhuang in Gaoping, north China's Shanxi Province.

The wedding is different from others in the village as the groom, Hugo Mathe, is a Frenchman, who now teaches at Beijing Foreign Studies University. His obsession with Chinese martial arts brought him to study and work in China, where he met the bride.

"Chinese martial arts sparked a great interest in me for Chinese language and culture, so we chose a traditional Chinese ceremony for our wedding," said Mathe.

What made Mathe even happier was a special blessing from former French Prime Minister Laurent Fabius, who is now president of the French Constitutional Council. Fabius happened to meet the newlyweds while visiting Suzhuang on Monday. He gladly offered his congratulations and accepted their wedding candies.

Suzhuang was quite novel for Fabius. Although small, it is one of the traditional ancient villages in China. According to records, an ancient emperor once visited the place to see two rarely entwined trees, known as "love trees" that symbolize marriage.

The trees have disappeared, but Suzhuang has retained many exquisite ancient courtyards. It has been transformed into a cultural and tourist resort that combines traditional Chinese wedding experiences with wellness services, earning it the nickname "Town of Joy."

This was the first time for Fabius to witness traditional Chinese wedding customs. The special encounter left him with a deep impression of China's ancient villages and wedding culture.

Fabius believed that this unique Sino-French wedding ceremony served as a testament to the friendship between the two countries.

In China, Sino-French marriages are becoming increasingly common. According to a staff member from Suzhuang, the village has hosted multiple transnational weddings since it began offering traditional Chinese wedding experiences three years ago. Despite cultural differences, the pursuit of a happy life is the same.

On Tuesday, Fabius visited the famous castle, the House of the Huangcheng Chancellor, in the city of Jincheng, also in Shanxi. After the tour, he attended a cultural exchange seminar on ancient castles from China and France, organized by the Taihu World Cultural Forum to promote cultural exchange and mutual learning between China and other countries.

Both China and France have a rich heritage of ancient castles. This time, Fabius was invited to the seminar to promote cultural exchanges between Chinese and French castles and explore collaboration on the preservation and protection of these historical sites and collaboration on tourism development.

Fabius hoped that through this exchange and cooperation, more innovative ways could be explored to protect and revitalize the historical sites in both countries.

"I believe that through continued dialogue and cooperation, France and China will not only safeguard our rich histories but also inspire a more sustainable future for all," said Fabius. He added that cultural exchanges will remain essential for the sustainable development of Sino-French friendship in the future.

Zheng Chuanxin, secretary-general of the Taihu World Cultural Forum, said the forum will continue to promote people-to-people cultural exchanges and cooperation between China and France and further deepen the friendship between the two countries.

In September 1973, then French President Georges Pompidou visited China and promoted Sino-French cultural exchanges, which profoundly influenced Fabius.

"If Pompidou knew I came to Shanxi to learn about Chinese traditional culture, he would be very pleased," Fabius said. "It is culture that has brought China and France closer together."