The “2025 Chinese Classics Recitation Exchange and Performance Finals for University Students from Hong Kong, Macao and Mainland China” were held at the Yunlong Campus of Jiangsu Normal University on September 24-25. The event was co-hosted by the University of Macau, Jiangsu Normal University, and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, under the guidance of the Office of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs of the Ministry of Education. Outstanding students from universities across Hong Kong, Macao, and mainland China gathered together to celebrate Chinese cultural heritage through the recitation of Chinese literary classics.
Prof. Zhang Yan, Director of the Centre for Chinese History and Culture at the University of Macau, delivers a speech
As an important component of the Ministry of Education’s “Exchange Program for Teachers and Students from Primary, Secondary and Higher Education Institutions in Hong Kong, Macao and Mainland China,” this recitation activity has been held for four consecutive years since its inception in 2021. This year, nearly 300 video submissions were received from various universities, including the Communication University of China, East China Normal University, Jiangsu Normal University, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, the Education University of Hong Kong, University of Macau, and Macau University of Science and Technology. After rigorous evaluation, 50 outstanding works advanced to the finals.
Prof. Xu Jie, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities of the University of Macau, and Prof. Zhang Yan, Director of the Centre for Chinese History and Culture, were on the panel of judges. Through intense competition, Ms. Li Jiamin, a doctoral student from the Department of Chinese Language and Literature, successfully entered the top 50 finals with her work “Atop the Phoenix Lookout of Jinling” and won the “Best Artistic Creation Award.” Ms. Zhang Jiahuan from the Faculty of Social Sciences won the “Best Recitation Work Award” with her piece “Encountering·Macao.” Both of the students used their voices to carry forward Chinese cultural heritage, gaining insights into historical depth and demonstrating contemporary spirit through recitation, vividly interpreting the modern charm of Chinese classics.
Li Jiamin, a doctoral student from the Department of Chinese Language and Literature, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, University of Macau
Zhang Jiahuan, a student from the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Macau
China attaches great importance to language and cultural work. President Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasized the importance of inheriting and developing traditional culture, pointing out that language and writing are not only important carriers of cultural heritage, but also the vivid embodiment of the national spirit. The “Chinese Classics Recitation Exchange and Performance for University Students from Hong Kong, Macao and Mainland China” not only provided a platform for students from the three regions to showcase their talents but also powerfully enhanced young people’s identification with the traditional Chinese culture, promoted mutual exchange and learning in language and culture, and improved the language and cultural literacy of the younger generation.
The award-winning works will subsequently be performed in touring exhibitions at several universities in Hong Kong, Macao, and mainland China, promoting the further integration of classical culture into the daily lives of young students and continuously expanding the activity’s influence. This initiative will help cultivate the patriotic sentiments of contemporary university students and inject vigorous youthful energy into the strengthening of the sense of community of the Chinese nation.
Group photo