The National College Student Art Exhibition and Performance, held every three years, is the largest, and most respected and influential cultural event in education in China. This year it was organised by the Ministry of Education and the People’s Government of Hubei Province, and hosted by the Hubei Provincial Department of Education and the Xiangyang City Government. The theme was “Cultivating Patriotic Sentiments and Nurturing Aspirational Character”, and over 7,400 teachers and students from 31 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities, the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, and the Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions participated in the exhibition. 

The Lingnan team also received seven awards for its outstanding artistic performances at the 24th Qi Yue Recitation Arts Festival and National University Students Recitation Competition, and is the only Hong Kong tertiary institution to win prizes three times in this national event. 

“Reading the great Chinese works is very important in improving students’ comprehensive proficiency in Chinese, and benefits their literary appreciation, oral expression, and writing skills significantly. Besides this, reciting classic works should elevate young people’s sentiments towards Chinese traditional culture and the nation, further promoting their sense of national pride and identity,” Dr Zhou said. Ms Wei pointed out that before reciting, one must first thoroughly understand what the classic texts mean, and she hopes students will apply this traditional wisdom by repeating them over and over.