Enthusiasm for Chinese Language Grows at Sabaragamuwa University, Thanks to Dedicated Chinese Teachers
On the tranquil, hilly campus of Sabaragamuwa University, located in the southern foothills of Sri Lanka’s central mountains, the sound of voices practicing Chinese has become a familiar feature. This is due to the efforts of three dedicated teachers from China who lead a Confucius Classroom, established in 2019 through a collaboration between Huanggang Normal University in China and Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka.
Life for these teachers comes with its share of challenges. Their dormitories are often overrun by mosquitoes, with occasional unwelcome visits from snakes and rats. During the rainy season, water, electricity, and internet services can be disrupted for up to a week. Essential groceries and fresh vegetables are only available at a weekly farmers’ market, and the nearest supermarket is nearly an hour away by car on winding mountain roads.
Despite these difficulties, Zhu Song, the director of the Confucius Classroom who has been teaching there for over three years, remains optimistic. “I have survived the most difficult challenges. I feel quite content with life now,” she shared.
Her colleagues, Zhang Huan and Xia Zihan, also maintain a positive outlook on their roles as overseas Chinese teachers. “Instead of focusing on sacrifice and dedication, we aim to inspire students with positivity, friendliness, and vitality, sparking their interest in learning Chinese and fostering a love for China.”
The trio has adapted Chinese textbooks to suit the students’ proficiency levels, introducing traditional Chinese art forms to enhance cultural learning. They have also helped establish a Chinese language teaching branch at Bandarawela Central College in the nearby Uva province, regularly providing training to local teachers.
The interest in learning Chinese is steadily increasing. Xia noted that two weekly Chinese courses offered to faculty members at the Confucius Classroom currently attract nearly 20 participants.
Student enthusiasm for Chinese culture is also evident. “We hosted a Chinese food festival this year, featuring homemade dumplings and tanghulu (candied fruits),” said Dulani Weerakoon, a student majoring in Chinese. “Over 400 villagers attended, and when teaching them to say ‘hello,’ ‘thank you,’ and ‘dumpling,’ I felt like a Chinese teacher too.”
Rohan Abeywickrama, dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Languages at Sabaragamuwa University, observed a growing interest in the Chinese major. “This year, 21 students have chosen Chinese as their primary major, with another 50 selecting it as their second or third major—this represents more than one-fifth of the students in the same grade. This surge is thanks to the enthusiastic efforts of our three Chinese teachers,” he noted.
“The Confucius Classroom offers students valuable opportunities to connect with China, experience Chinese culture, and even participate in study tours to China,” Abeywickrama added. “With the Confucius Classroom here, the Chinese language dreams of students in these mountain areas are no longer distant.”
Source: Xinhua /adaderana.lk
