Touching Luck, Trying on Glory: Diplomats Get a Taste of Life as a Top Scholar in China's "City of Champions"

       CRI Online Report: On August 7, a group of diplomats based in China — representing Ethiopia, Latvia, Botswana, Guinea, the Dominican Republic, Malaysia, Kazakhstan, Argentina, and Vietnam — visited the Zhuangyuan Museum in Xiuning County, Anhui Province. There, they learned about the history of China's imperial examination system, listened to stories of the scholars who achieved the highest honors, and experienced the history, culture, and local customs of Xiuning, a county long celebrated as the "City of Top Scholars".

　　Xiuning is regarded as one of the key birthplaces of ancient Huizhou culture. From the Song to the Qing dynasties, the county produced 19 Zhuangyuan — the top-ranked scholars in both the civil and military imperial examinations — earning it the title of "China's No. 1 Zhuangyuan County". The Xiuning Zhuangyuan Museum itself stands on the site of the county's ancient government office. The diplomats toured the museum's collections with great interest, taking in the Zhuangyuan Culture Exhibition, the Ming-Qing Imperial Examination Culture Exhibition, and the Xiuning Zhuangyuan Exhibition, and listening closely as guides explained the traditions of Zhuangyuan culture, the mechanics of the imperial examination system, and the local folklore surrounding it.

Tania Estevez, Minister-Counsellor at the Embassy of the Dominican Republic in China, tries on a Zhuangyuan hat.

H.E. Prof. Lekoko S. Kenosi, Ambassador of Botswana to China, tries on a Zhuangyuan hat.

　　Nguyen Hoang Ha, Second Secretary at the Embassy of Vietnam in China, said he was deeply impressed by the depth of Anhui's historical and cultural heritage. "Vietnam also had an imperial examination system in its history," he said. "Visiting the Xiuning Zhuangyuan Museum allowed me to experience the charm of China's outstanding traditional culture. The air at Mount Qiyun is wonderfully fresh, and Anhui has done an excellent job protecting its cultural heritage and planning for tourism. It's truly meaningful to see this culture preserved and passed down to future generations."

Nguyen Hoang Ha, Second Secretary at the Embassy of Vietnam in China, speaks with the media.

Diplomats based in China pose for a group photo at the Xiuning Zhuangyuan Museum.