French President Emmanuel Macron paid a state visit to China from April 5 to 7. Today, he visited Guangzhou, the capital city of Guangdong province.
During his stay, he addressed the students in Sun Yat-sen University, saying that Guangdong has a very special history with France.
How special? The following 10 pictures may give you a hint.
An encounter 300 years ago
Documentary The Amphitrite
In 1723, the French merchant ship "Amphitrite" traveled to Guangzhou, initiating the Sino-French trade. In addition, it also brought then the most advanced Western science and culture to China, promoting the interchange of cultures, ideas, and arts between the East and the West. This story is recorded by Guangzhou director Li Lin through her documentary The Amphitrite.
Sparkling base for Guangzhou's urban architecture
Lin Keming
Born in July 1900, Lin Keming is a native of Zengcheng, Guangzhou, and graduated from the Architecture School of Lyon in 1926. Lin is a pioneer of modern Chinese architecture. He designed several city landmarks on the central axis of Guangzhou, including the Haizhu Bridge, Haizhu Square, the building of the Guangzhou government, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, and Sun Yat-sen Monument, with a harmonious and unified architectural style.
Guangzhou's gift to Institut franco-chinois de Lyon
Bronze sculpture of Chinese celebrities in Institut franco-chinois de Lyon
The Institut franco-chinois de Lyon, founded in 1921, is the only university founded by Chinese overseas in modern times. A 5-ton sculpture presented by the Guangzhou government is standing in front of the university, which was created by Li Ming, former president of the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts. It shows the figures of Cai Yuanpei, Dai Wangshu, Li Shizeng, and other Chinese students, as well as demonstrates the friendship between Guangzhou and Lyon.
"People's Musician" Xian Xinghai
Xian Xinghai in Paris
Xian Xinghai, a native of Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, is a famous composer and pianist in modern China, known as the "people's musician".
In 1929, Xian went to Paris to study senior composition with famous composer Paul Dukas. After returning to China, he took part in patriotic activities with his music as a weapon. He wrote vocal works that encouraged the people to fight the invaders, including the classic patriotic song The Yellow River Cantata.
"Culinary Olympics"
Bocuse d'Or, the "Olympics of the culinary world", was founded in 1987 by Paul Bocuse, a well-known chef in France.
At the final of Bocuse d'Or 2007 in Lyon, France, Chinese chef Long Weiyan was one of the judges as well as the Chinese National Team's leader. Furthermore, in 2022, Bocuse d'Or China Academy and Guangzhou Vocational School of Tourism & Business signed a strategic cooperation agreement, indicating that the base of Bocuse d'Or 2022 China Selection has settled down in Guangzhou.
Guangzhou-Lyon sister relationship
Guangzhou and Lyon became Friendship Cities in January, 1988.
Both Guangzhou and Lyon are historically important trading cities. Guangzhou was the start of the Maritime Silk Road while Lyon was one of the destinations of the Silk Road in Europe. The relationship between Guangzhou and Lyon began in the nineteenth century.
At that time, Lyon was one of the main cities for the silk business in France. Many silk merchants went to Guangzhou to buy raw silk. In 1913, Lyon University began to have Chinese language courses as people needed to speak Chinese and do business with China, especially with Guangzhou.
The two cities signed the Friendship Cities agreement in 1988. Over three decades of cooperation, Guangzhou has become an important partner for Lyon as more than 400 enterprises from Lyon and Rhone-Alpes have settled in Guangdong while over 3000 French people are living in the province. Most of these enterprises and people are in Guangzhou, the capital city.
Jean-Pierre Raffarin's friendship with Guangzhou
Former French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin in Guangzhou
Former French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin received the Friendship Medal, a tribute to China's long-term international friends who have been involved in the country's transformation, on September 29, 2019.
Jean-Pierre Raffarin paid a visit to Guangzhou from April 7 to 8, 2018. He attended a variety of cultural activities, including the documentary filming of "Through the Eyes of International Political Dignitaries: Recap on Guangdong's Achievements after China's Reform and Opening Up over the Past Four Decades". Mr. Raffarin also gave a speech at the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, and received a portrait created by the students of the college. Later, he played table tennis with primary school students and exchanged table tennis bats.
Dedicator of Sino-French cultural exchanges
Huang Jianhua, a former president of Guangdong University of Foreign Studies
Born in Guangzhou, Huang Jianhua, a former president of Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, graduated from the French Language Department of Sun Yat-sen University, and was a student of Liang Zongdai, a renowned poet and translator. In 1977, Huang went to work in UNESCO, dedicated to Sino-French cultural exchanges.
Huang is also the chief compiler of the second edition of the Grand Contemporary Chinese-French Dictionary. The Chinese academic has been lauded after battling through cancer to complete the first update of a comprehensive Chinese-French dictionary for 16 years. The Dictionary includes translations of popular web words. Published by Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press, the book contains more than seven million French words and Chinese characters, almost twice the size of the first edition.
When Canton Tower meets Eiffel Tower
Guangzhou and Paris are both very suitable for the growth of flowers due to their natural environment. In 1820, the ancient Chinese roses were shipped to France from Guangzhou. After that, modern roses were produced through hybridization.
Over the years, Guangzhou and Paris have had frequent cultural exchanges. On Valentine's Day in 2018, drones took formation as a miniature Eiffel Tower adjacent to the Canton Tower. The drone show was part of the city's global New Year Flower Fair show named "When Guangzhou meets Paris".
In January 2019, Guangzhou held a roadshow in Paris, presenting food, blossoms and light with the characteristics of Lingnan culture. The event enabled the two cities to discuss urban development under multi-culture and cultural dynamism of the time.
In January 2020, an international conference on promoting Guangzhou was launched on the second floor of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
Chess tournament tightens Guangzhou-Lyon sister relationship
The award ceremony for the 2022 China Guangzhou-Lyon Youth Chess Friendly Tournament
A junior chess competition between Guangzhou and its sister city, Lyon kicked off on June 11, 2022. The competition was divided into three rounds, which were conducted online. On September 11, Lu Qingjiang, Consul-General of Consulate-General of the People's Republic of China in Lyon, attended the award ceremony for the tournament.
Author: Monica, Holly
Editor: Wing, Steven, Jerry
Photo: Information Office of Guangzhou Municipal People's Government
