In the past two years, Nguyen Quang Huy has had an extraordinary experience in China: cross-cultural learning, travel at Jiuzhai Valley, watching the sunrise over the Jinshan Mountain, winning a prize at a national competition…This young man from Vietnam is truly living a poetic life when studying abroad.
Nguyen Quang Huy is a Vietnamese student majoring in Visual Communication Design at the College of Chinese & ASEAN Arts, enrolled in 2023. Recently, he won the first prize in the international student category of the 6th Chinese Classics Recitation and Writing Contest "Poetry Teaching in China" Poem Interpretation Competition, sponsored by the Ministry of Education and the National Language Commission. This is the first time an international student from Chengdu University (CDU) has won this award.
Crossing Vast Mountains Alone
Introverted and shy are the adjectives his friends use to describe him. However, in a crucial moment in his life, Nguyen Quang Huy made a "crazy" decision that contrasts sharply with his personality: he dropped out of university to go to China!
Quang Huy and his family in Vietnam
Nguyen Quang Huy was born and raised in Tỉnh Hưng Yên Province, Vietnam. Located southeast of the capital, Hanoi, Tỉnh Hưng Yên is part of the Red River Delta, where the electronics and automotive parts manufacturing industries are relatively developed. "This place is close to Guangxi and Guangdong province in China, so some Vietnamese words sound very similar to Chinese. For example, my name, Quang Huy, is pronounced like '光辉' (Guanghui)," he explains. Since his family has been involved in the automotive industry, he chose to study automotive repair after taking the college entrance exam. After the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, he had to study online for over a year and gradually realized that he wasn't interested in mechanics. He had heard that a distant relative was studying for a Master's Degree in Chinese education in Guangxi, China. His passion for drawing developed his idea of studying in China.
"My parents are very open-minded! They fully support me," Quang Huy said. After dropping out of university in Vietnam, he joined an international study group to gather information about universities. "Chengdu University was the only school that offered art programs, and the related policies were very favorable." Once making a decision, Nguyen Quang Huy immediately enrolled in a Chinese language class, commuting 17 kilometers three times a week for evening classes while studying Chinese phonetic alphabet and writing at home during the day. He finds learning Chinese both challenging and interesting:" '歪果仁' (wai guo ren) means 'foreigner.' The puns in Chinese are really fascinating!"
This was not the first time for him to study Chinese. In high school, his English grades were not very good. However, according to Vietnam's college entrance exam policies, he could choose to study Chinese as his foreign language. Thus, he began to learn Chinese by self-studying the Chinese phonetic alphabet and chatting with Chinese players in international games. "I don't really like gaming, but it's fun to speak Chinese with them." Despite this, he still found it very difficult to fully grasp the language. Through his language studies, he gradually learned about Chinese calligraphy and painting, and he couldn't help but try his hand at using a brush imitating some landscape and flower-and-bird paintings and Chinese characters.
Learning Chinese, preparing work portfolios... Nguyen Quang Huy had a very fulfilling winter vacation after dropping out of university. In September, Nguyen Quang Huy went to the destination of his dreams.
"I feel relaxed in Chengdu"
When the plane landed at Kunming Airport in Yunnan, Nguyen Quang Huy stepped onto the land of China for the first time. His first impression of China was, "so amazing!"
Before registration, he had scoured social media for photos and videos about Chengdu University, ensuring full preparation. Even though it was his first time to be at CDU, he recognized the buildings and paths. Seeing the sign of "Chengdu FISU Games Village" and the Rongbao (mascot of Chengdu FISU Games) statue before the Comprehensive Teaching Building, he felt quite excited, "I know our country's delegation participated in the Chengdu FISU Games and stayed in the Village here." Now, he would be studying and living on the same land, which was somewhat like a dream for him. "It's a pity I had not been enrolled when the Chengdu FISU Games was held, but I signed up as a volunteer for the International World Games next year and look forward to serving there."
As a newcomer, he couldn't wait to get to know the campus and familiarize himself with its environment. "The canteen and library are both large. The library is full of students studying, so the learning atmosphere is very strong." Nguyen Quang Huy said that every year during China's national college entrance examination season, videos such as the oath at the 100-day countdown and the seeing-off ceremony for students participating in the national college entrance examination will be popular on social media in Vietnam. He admired it very much for the "exciting" atmosphere.
He also joined the CDU's Mandarin Club and Calligraphy Club. Whenever he had free time, Nguyen Quang Huy would take out his fountain pen to practice hard pen calligraphy. His teacher commented, "You can't tell that this was written by someone who has only been learning Chinese for a year or two." He shyly admitted, "I often make mistakes halfway through writing, so I tear it up and start over. It takes me about ten pages to get to this final version." He even customized a seal to stamp at the bottom of his works.
In Nguyen Quang Huy's view, CDU is very considerate, with a variety of facilities and services available. "Our dormitory buildings are equipped with kitchens for students who are not used to the food here to cook." Even after living in Chengdu for more than a year, Nguyen Quang Huy still struggles to adapt to the spicy food. "I really enjoy Neijiang Beef Noodles and Snail Rice Noodles, but I can only stand a little bit of chili."
After more than a year of stay in Chengdu, Nguyen Quang Huy has gradually pieced together a picture of his impression of Chengdu. During a photography class, the teacher took them to People's Park, where he was surprised to see many citizens enjoying tea, chatting, playing mahjong, and dancing as early as 9:00 a.m. "I had expected a fast-paced lifestyle here as Chengdu is a metropolis, and I didn’t think it was that leisure." Gradually, he also adapted to Chengdu's "slow" life. In his spare time, he often invited friends to play badminton, table tennis, or go for walks. He said, "This seems to be called a sense of relaxation, and I really like this kind of life."
To complete his photography course assignments, Nguyen Quang Huy visited the Chengdu Shu Brocade and Embroidery Museum and the Jinsha Site Museum. He said, "Each has its own characteristics; Chinese civilization is so fascinating." Next, he plans to visit the Sanxingdui archaeological site because "the artifacts from Sanxingdui look like alien, and I'm really curious about them."
"Transportation is very convenient here, and you can take the subway wherever you want to go," "Chengdu is very inclusive, and young people are free to wear whatever they like"... Nguyen Quang Huy's impression to Chengdu is still refreshing.
Reciting to make a breakthrough in the competition
"Don't you see the Yellow River pouring from heaven, Rushing to the sea, never to return?" Nguyen Quang Huy interpreted his favorite Chinese poet Li Bai's famous poem "Invitation to Wine" in the competition.
Vietnamese middle schools would teach students a variety of Chinese poetry, which is how Nguyen Quang Huy became acquainted with Chinese poets Li Bai and Du Fu. Even now, he can still recite "Thoughts on a Tranquil Night" and "The Waterfall in Mount Lu Viewed from Afar." Speaking of these two simple and accessible poems, he recalled, "Even though I didn't understand Chinese at the time, I could still appreciate the beauty of the verses."
When it came time to select a piece for the competition, he quickly chose Li Bai's "Invitation to Wine." He dedicated 3 full days to studying and memorizing the poem. However, while he was able to handle the pronunciation of the words, he struggled to grasp the emotional depth of the poet. Just as he was feeling frustrated, his mentor Wu Jiapei suggested that he should watch the film "Chang'an." The scenes of Li Bai and his friends enjoying wine together illuminate the poem's background and the emotions it embodies, thus enhancing Nguyen Quang Huy's understanding of Li Bai: "He is both free-spirited and aspirational."
After receiving guidance on his script from his mentor Wu Jiapei, he had two weeks to memorize it and shoot a short video for the competition. "The script runs 2 full pages, and on top of ensuring correct pronunciation, I also needed to manage my pauses, tempo, and emotions," he recalled. During the preparation period, he made it a point to practice in the multi-function hall on the 5th floor of the College of Chinese & ASEAN Arts whenever he had spare time. He would then showcase his progress to the teachers, seeking their feedback and suggestions for improvement.
Finally, he completed the video shoot on the campus of Chengdu University and at Wangjiang Tower Park. In the video, he portrayed the legendary poet Li Bai with a long beard in some scenes, passionately interpreting the poetry; in other scenes, he wore a shirt, presenting the stories behind the poem from a modern perspective.
Ultimately, he won first prize at the provincial competition, advancing to the national competition. The preparation he had made for the provincial competition significantly improved his grasp of the emotional depth of poetry and the rhythm of interpretation. For the national competition, he chose Li Bai's "Parting from My Children at Nanling for the Capital." Under the guidance of his teachers, he quickly grasped the free-spirited personality and zest for life embodied in the line "Looking up at the sky, I laugh aloud and go."
However, Nguyen Quang Huy felt nervous about participating in the national competition as the representative of international students at Chengdu University. Noticing his nervousness, his mentor Wu Jiapei comforted him, "Entering the national competition is already something to be proud of, so don't put too much pressure on yourself."
The final competition took place at Beijing Normal University. When standing on the stage, Nguyen Quang Huy embraced the persona of Li Bai, passionately expressing his dreams and aspirations with flair. "The judges were very kind, and I performed quite well!" he exclaimed when sharing his experience with his mentor Wu Jiapei afterward, eager to recount how it went.
During the brief interval between the competition and his return trip, Nguyen Quang Huy took a tour of numerous famous landmarks, including the Temple of Heaven, the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, and the entrance to Tsinghua University. Determined to witness the flag-raising ceremony, he set out for Tian’anmen Square at 2 a.m. even though his train back to Chengdu was scheduled for 8 a.m. "I didn't expect that even though it wasn't a weekend or the National Day holiday, there would still be so many people," he remarked. He captured the moment the Chinese national flag was raised with his camera, noting, "So many Chinese people were watching me take pictures, thinking I must be an influencer."
After returning to campus, Wu Jiapei searched for the competition results online every day. Nguyen Quang Huy chuckled, "My mentor was even more nervous than I was!" As soon as the winner list was released, Wu Jiapei shared the news with him, it was not until then that Nguyen Quang Huy truly understood the significance of the accolade: "I'm very proud; this is the first time an international student from our university has won a national first prize."
Turning the Days of Studying Abroad into Poetry
Reading poetry is not enough for Nguyen Quang Huy; he aspires to live out his experiences in China as if they were poetry themselves.
Before the start of his sophomore year, he returned to Chengdu two weeks early and teamed up with his friends on a self-driving tour to his dream destination: Western Sichuan. As they navigated winding mountain roads deep into the mountains, he felt a profound sense of surprise. "I was amazed to see that even in areas with sparse populations, the Chinese government has invested in expressways." While admiring the breathtaking scenery along the way, he was also deeply moved by China's commitment to improving the well-being of its people.
At sunrise on the snow mountains, he stood atop an off-road vehicle, reveling in the expansive golden hues of the distant hills. During starry nights, he and his friends held hands to sing and dance around a bonfire. Before their departure, the local Tibetan people draped ‘hada’ around them. Nguyen Quang Huy was overjoyed, "They said the white ‘hada’ scarf symbolizes blessings." The warm hospitality of the Tibetan people made him feel at home, despite the vast distances separating him from his hometown.
Nguyen Quang Huy documented his tour of Western Sichuan on camera and added a beautiful Chinese narration to the video: "Here, I encountered the vast nature and embraced boundless mountains and lakes…" He then uploaded the video to his Facebook account, where netizens commented, "I have never seen such a beautiful place!"
"Intending to buy osmanthus blooms, I ended up buying wine; it’s just not the same as wandering in my youth." Nguyen Quang Huy wishes to explore the vast world during his youth. He has developed a deep love for the beautiful landscapes of China, noting, "My hometown is relatively flat, with neither mountains nor seas, but in China, I've seen so many stunning sights." He has visited Jiuzhaigou and witnessed the grandeur of Gongga Snow Mountain. Speaking of these attractions, he exclaimed, "They are so spectacular, worth another visit!" He is even passionate about the places he hasn't yet set foot in. For example, He bought a model of the Yellow Crane Tower, assembled it, and uploaded a photo of it to Facebook, saying, "I'm particularly interested in this one; I hope to have the chance to see it in person." Moreover, Yunnan, Guangxi, and Wugong Mountain are all in his travel plans.
This creative and thoughtful boy enjoys capturing the moments of life with his camera and brush. Through his lens, he captured the marvelous Tyndall effect of the morning sunlight filtering through the leaves of the trees by the Yingming Lake. With his brush, he painted a castle sitting atop a goldfish, accompanied by a flag pained in red with a touch of "Hayao Miyazaki-style" romance. For him, these bits of life—photos, sketchbooks, pieces of writing, and competition experiences—are all his unique poems.
Regarding his university life, Nguyen Quang Huy has a small regret: His classmates are all from countries like Thailand, Laos, and Malaysia. He said, "Everyone in my class is an international student. I hope to make more Chinese friends in the upcoming years of my university life."
Fascinated by China's natural landscapes, Nguyen Quang Huy hopes to pursue graduate studies in China and stay a bit longer to explore the magnificent rivers and mountains of China. He dreams of returning to his hometown to become a Chinese language teacher eventually. "Chinese languege is in high demand back home, and I want to share with the Vietnamese people the beautiful scenery and culture of China, as well as the warmth and kindness of Chinese people and their way of life."
