VAN DER MERWE CHANTEL (Bai Xiaoxue in Chinese), an undergraduate student in Grade 2020 from South Africa, is studying International Economics and Trade at ZUFE. She has an excellent record of performance in school and was awarded the First Prize Scholarship for the 2020-2021 school year. In addition, she took an active part in various extracurricular activities on and off campus, including the 14th "Dream Trip in Zhejiang" International Student Chinese Talent Show in 2020 and the shooting of the promo video for the 19th Asian Games Hangzhou 2022. After coming to Hangzhou, Chantel has been living with her parents by the Beijing-Hangzhou Canal in Gongshu District. Thus, she feels deeply connected to the city of Hangzhou, the canal, and the ancient streets and alleys.
Applying what she has learned to life practices and turning her interest into her best impetus, Chantel builds with short videos a bridge for exchanges between China and the rest of the world. June 22 marks the anniversary of the successful inscription of the Grand Canal as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Publicity Department of the CPC Hangzhou Municipal Committee and ZTV WORLD jointly launched The Beauty of the Grand Canal, part of Hangzhou's Three World Cultural Heritage Sites in Foreigners'Eyes. The series of promos aim to open a dialogue between the past and the present, promote communication between China and the rest of the world, and showcase Hangzhou to the world. Fascinated by the history of China, Chantel has been studying Chinese, Chinese calligraphy and painting, and traditional Chinese operas since she became part of ZUFE. Recently, Chantel was invited to be the teller of The Beauty of the Grand Canal, which enabled her to appreciate the marvel of ancient engineering constructed over a period spanning multiple dynasties and, with its water flows, the history of the cities it passes through.
Hangzhou is home to three world cultural heritage sites, namely the West Lake Cultural Landscape, the Grand Canal, and the Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City, which are the cultural symbols of the city. June 22 marks the anniversary of the successful inscription of the Grand Canal as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Publicity Department of the CPC Hangzhou Municipal Committee and ZTV WORLD jointly launched The Beauty of the Grand Canal, part of Hangzhou's Three World Cultural Heritage Sites in Foreigners' Eyes. The series of promos aim to open a dialogue between the past and the present, promote communication between China and the rest of the world, and showcase Hangzhou to the world.
Before coming to China, Chantel had searched Hangzhou on YouTube. She was already fascinated by the beautiful West Lake at the first sight of it in the video. But when she came here, she found that Hangzhou not only boasts the beautiful West Lake, but also the magnificent Grand Canal.
The Grand Canal runs from the city of Beijing in the north to the province of Zhejiang in the south, running through six provinces and two municipalities directly under the Central Government, and connecting five major water systems (Haihe River, Huanghe River, Huaihe River, Changjiang River, and Qiantang River). It has been a golden waterway connecting the north and the south since its construction. On the Grand Canal, there is a continuous flow of cargo ships, and all kinds of commercial goods are transported to various places along the canal.
The scene reminds Chantel that Marco Polo, an Italian traveler, once described Hangzhou as the most beautiful and luxurious "Heaven City" in the world. He once wrote in his book, "This city, like Venice with canals, is the best place to do business." Now, having experienced the bustle of the Grand Canal, Chantel could not help sighing that what he said was true.
In the spirit of exploring the culture of the Grand Canal, Chantel found Wu Liren, a folk painter who stands fast to the canal culture. Wu Liren told Chantel, "What I paint is my life. The story of the canal needs to be told and the canal culture needs to be passed on. For me, it is not only an honor but also a responsibility."
As a storyteller, Chantel was deeply impressed by the fact that generations of people stuck to the land of Hangzhou, absorbing nourishment and inspiration to tell joys and sorrows witnessed by the Grand Canal and record the vicissitudes of Hangzhou year after year in different forms of art. Perhaps this is the secret of Hangzhou's enduring culture.
Today, you can travel on the ancient Grand Canal by boat, with many tall buildings and old bridges across the two banks. The ancient canal is welcoming tourists from all over the world with its brand-new status.
