“Shared Joy in Jiangsu 2019” Chinese Speech Contest (Semi-Final), sponsored by the Information Office of the People's Government of Jiangsu Province, the Foreign Affairs Office of the People's Government of Jiangsu Province, and the Education Department of Jiangsu Province; undertook by the Jiangsu Broadcasting Corporation, the News Office of the People's Government of Zhenjiang City, and Jiangsu University, was successfully held in Jiangsu University on June 1st to 2nd, 2019.
The theme of "Shared Joy in Jiangsu 2019" Chinese Speech Contest is "The Story of Me and Intangible Cultural Heritage". The online audition began in early May. Hundreds of international students from Kazakhstan, Russia, Australia, Brazil, India, Zimbabwe and others countries studying at major universities in Jiangsu and other foreigners from more than 50 countries in Jiangsu actively signed up for the audition by submitting videos. Eventually 46 contestants from 23 universities, including Jiangsu Normal University, Jiangnan University, Nanjing University and Southeast University successfully stood out and were qualified for the semi-final competition, among whom were 4 international students selected by the Language and Culture Center of Jiangsu University.
For the first time, this semi-final competition adopted the "three-in-one" approach. That is, contestants from the three major competition regions of Southern Jiangsu, Northern Jiangsu and Nanjing gathered in Jiangsu University for a speech contest. At the competition, 46 contestants showed their magical prowess around themes such as sachet, Huai opera, Guqin, Yunjin, and the legend of the white snake. The contestants expressed their love and cherishment for China's intangible cultural heritage, as well as their desire and ambition to inherit and spread "intangible cultural heritage".
Yang Jing, a Zimbabwean international student studying at Jiangsu University, told his story about his relationship with the Guqin. He played the Guqin and showed the artistic conception of "high mountains and flowing rivers" in a novel way. "The mountains stand up, the scenery stops, although they can't come, but the heart yearns for them" expresses his cherishment and awe of "intangible cultural heritage". His authentic voice and smooth expression won the warm appreciation of the judges and audience. Kath from Ghana is dressed in traditional Han clothes and very attractive. He sometimes makes statements and sometimes asks questions, leading the audience to appreciate the connotation of pursuing freedom and true love in The Legend of White Snake. Russian student Yana wore a big red cheongsam, showing a unique oriental charm, and her speech "How Can I Not Miss Her" is sincere and thought-provoking, telling the story of linguists on the Grand Canal. Jin Jia, an international student from India, sang and danced, talked about the beauty of structural, dynamic and artistic beauty of Suzhou gardens.
All the four international students selected by Jiangsu University gave wonderful performance in the competition. Yang Jing won the first place in the Southern Jiangsu Division with a top score of 91.8, and will represent the Southern Jiangsu Division in the Jiangsu Province Final in mid-June; Keith won the second prize in the Southern Jiangsu Division; Yana and Jin Jia won the third prize in the Southern Jiangsu Division.
The "Shared Joy in Jiangsu” Chinese Speech Contest has been held since 2013. It aims to further enrich the cultural life of the friends in Jiangsu, highlight the social atmosphere of "open Jiangsu, harmonious Jiangsu, and happy Jiangsu", strive to create a good environment for studying in Jiangsu and improve international influence of Jiangsu. It is the first time that Jiangsu University hosted the "Shared Joy in Jiangsu" Chinese Speech Contest. Liu Shanjiao, the intangible cultural heritage of humanity, the Guqin art, the national representative inheritor of the Meian Guqin School, Wang Luming, the intangible cultural heritage expert, Yin Wenming, the deputy director of the Foreign Exchange and Cooperation Office of the Information Office of the People's Government of Jiangsu Province, Sun Yi, the director of Jiangsu Broadcasting Corporation, and Zhang Xiaoyu, the host of Jiangsu Broadcasting, worked as judges and made wonderful comments.
Zhao Yutao, Vice President of Jiangsu University, Cao Qiaolan, Director of the Foreign Exchange and Cooperation Office of the Information Office of the People's Government of Jiangsu Province, Xia Min, Secretary of the Party Committee of the School of Liberal Arts of Jiangsu University, and Ren Xiaofei, Dean of the School of Liberal Arts and Director of the Language and Culture Center of Jiangsu University, attended the closing ceremony and served as awards presenters.
