【编者按】 在新春里，在大地上。以青年视角，观察今日中国，红网「青椒计划」特别推出 2024「新春‘椒’响曲」龙年专辑。你知道在外国留学生眼里的春节，有着怎样独特的意义吗？今天，由重庆大学罗马尼亚籍留学生邓琳娜讲述她在春节盛典，所感受到的中国文化的传承创新。
□邓琳娜（罗马尼亚籍留学生）
春节，这个节日的名字如此美丽。仅仅一听到它，你立刻会联想到希望和新生，进步和喜悦。我探索春节的旅程颇为漫长，始于我首次与来自罗马尼亚孔子学院的中国老师互动并与之交友，共同庆祝这个神奇的节日。
开启新希望的春节盛典
由于我是孔子学院的一名志愿者，并且熟悉所有老师，我有幸参与了超过15种食物的准备工作，以及他们用红对联和小红灯笼装饰门户的过程。我品尝了最美味的食物，和大家一起吃火锅，观看春节联欢晚会。我们讨论了新年的含义，以及关于中国除夕的传说，讲述怪兽会袭击人类并带来灾难。我了解了祖父母需要给孩子们红包的习俗，以及为每一天拜访亲戚所做的所有安排。
通过遵循这些习俗，传播喜悦，并以最大的幸福迎接新年，春节不仅是代表中国文化的独特庆典，更是一个代表人类希望的庆典。每年，学院都会在城里最大的礼堂举办一场特别的春节庆祝活动，学生和老师们聚集在一起唱歌、跳舞、吟诗，展示中国文化。我记得，礼堂里坐满了渴望了解春节背后含义和更多中国文化的人们。
唯一令人遗憾的是，他们无法品尝到美味的中国食物，甚至包括饺子。我们感受到的喜悦是无法衡量的，因为我们不仅理解了春节的真正含义，而且渴望与所有中国老师交流。我记得演出结束时一个孩子满脸笑容，眼睛闪烁着对父母说：「我想去中国！我想去中国！」那一刻，我的内心声音也在呐喊：「我也想去中国！」从那时起，我就有了一个强烈的愿望，要努力学习并去体验中国的春节。
春节为整个城市带来了希望。大学组织了一场在线庆祝活动，孔子学院搜集了许多著名的中国歌手和舞者的现场和录播表演。喜悦和希望再次传播开来，人们将这次在线庆典视为美好的体验，也是对未来更大希望的一扇窗。这些快乐的时刻，让人们的心中充满了欢愉和幸福，他们都感到这是一个新的开始，春节为他们带来了希望。
参与春节盛典。
传承与创新的和谐融合
过了3年的时间，我才能实现我的梦想。去年，我来到了中国，恰好错过了春节。但中国的一切让我感到非常震撼：现代的建筑、基础设施以及日常生活中使用的所有技术，使生活比我想象的要容易得多。
我惊讶地发现，在这个现代且繁华、饮茶和打太极的文化共生的国度，中国人保留了数百年来的传统和风俗，使得生活的节奏变得更加宁静。中国在各个方面都是一个富有的国家：拥有值得终身学习的丰富文化和历史，以及保存了千百年来的广泛传统。然而，与此同时，这个国家也并没有安于现状、停滞不前。
相反，中国目前已成为全球第二大经济体，不断在医学、建筑、基础设施、技术方面取得新的发现和进步，为世界各国展示了其快速的步伐。在其他国家，传统与现代往往对立，比如在欧洲，保持传统在年轻一代中一直是个问题。所以更多的国家应该向中国学习，从中汲取如何将过去与现代相融合的灵感。
中国春节的街头布置。
国际瞩目的节日
中国人民代代相传，一年又一年地保持着这个节日的庆祝传统。此外，他们将传统与科技相结合，使人们能够了解真实的中国：一个懂得珍惜自己的历史、文化和节日的辉煌国家。伦敦和旧金山以举办除中国外最大的中国新年庆祝活动而自豪，有许多灯笼和舞龙狮子。许多人前来体验这个特殊的庆祝活动，并更多地了解中国文化。
春运也是春节的一个重要组成部分，代表着回归家庭的真正含义，团聚意味着团结。世界上没有其他地方有这种现象，因此我们都应该向中国文化学习，因为家庭是如此重要，家庭是社会的基石。如果家庭是一个充满爱和喜悦的真实场所，在那里每个人都学习和发展，那么社会的未来将会光明无云，如同没有云彩的天空一般。
中国社会非常重视家庭，尊重所有亲戚。由于家庭是个体受到最直接影响的地方，被视为社会的中心。这是价值观可以灌输并最容易发生变化的地方。当家庭相信自己能够成功，互相支持，并帮助彼此成长达到新的高度时，社会可以取得伟大的成就。
然而，如果家庭一直处于贫困和绝望的境地，社会就不会进步。单一家庭对社会的影响微不足道。然而，当讨论整体家庭时，这就显得重要了。因为我们在互联系统中，都受到彼此的影响，我们也有能力通过积极地影响彼此，来取得更积极的作用。早期的互动有助于塑造一个孩子的生活技能，他们随后将这些生活技能应用到与同事、熟人、亲人甚至陌生人的互动中。人们与社会的互动经常受到这些家庭关系的影响，从而对社区中将要建立的联系产生影响。他们将学会尊重彼此的不同之处，并合作实现共同目标，这些力量来自一个强大的家庭。
因此，家庭对于防止我们变成孤僻、孤独、无法与人交往、建立关系或合作的个体至关重要。家庭就像火锅中的一种美味配料。最终，火锅因为每一种小配料而变得美味。正如在社会中，所有的家庭共同组成了一个完美的火锅。
现在，所有的街道都挂满了灯笼，到处都是欢乐和幸福。如果有人感到有点低落、沮丧或不快，应该走在充满庆典氛围的中国街头，就会感觉好多了。灯笼是繁荣的象征，它们寄托了新年的美好祝愿，希望社会取得更大的成功。我喜欢欣赏到处都是不同种类的灯笼，某种程度上，我感觉像是星空中的星星，透过这些美丽的灯笼照耀在街道上。
此外，今年是龙年，这是一种神秘的生物，代表着中华民族。我的妹妹是龙年出生，她对此非常兴奋。龙是中国生肖中的第五个动物，在中国文化中，龙是幸运、力量、健康和阳刚之气的象征。在中国文化中，龙是特殊的，因为它是唯一的传奇生物。许多其他文明，包括西方文明，将龙视为邪恶和黑暗的象征。
然而，在中国，龙被视为皇权、繁荣和福祉的象征。在我的文化中，龙被视为英雄需要克服的障碍。在许多故事中，英雄们与龙搏斗，以解救他们关在塔里的美丽公主。然而，中国人并不将龙描绘成邪恶的东西，而是看作繁荣的象征。如果我可以说，龙是我知道的最酷的神话动物，那么中国人也是非常酷的。
我相信这个新的一年，将是中国人民和我们所有人取得更大成就和幸运的一年。我也希望中国文化能够像一条飞翔的巨龙一样，传播到全世界，给每个人带来更多的知识。我期待着参与这个庆祝活动，体验它的真正含义，就像多年前我的旅程开始时那样，真正实现我的梦想。
新年快乐！
Spring festival is such a beautiful name for a festival. Only by hearing it you immediately think of hope and renewal, advancement and joy. My journey to discover the Spring Festival is quite long and it started when I first interacted and made friends with the Chinese teachers that came to Romania at Confucius institute and celebrated this magical festival.
The festival of hope
Because I was a volunteer at Confucius institute and I was familiar with all the teachers I had the pleasure to assist the preparations for more than 15 kind of food and the decoration of their doors with red couplets and small red lanterns. I tasted the most delicious kinds of food and ate hot pot together and watched the New Year Gala. We discussed about what New year means and the legend behind the Chinese New Year’s Eve with the monster that would attack people and bring disaster. I learned about the red envelopes that grandparents need to give to the little ones and all the arrangements made for every single day to visit the relatives. By respecting these customs, spreading joy and welcoming the new year with the greatest happiness, the Spring Festival is not only a unique celebration that represents the Chinese culture, but also a 3, 500 years old celebration that represents hope for humanity.
Every year, the institute would organize a special Spring festival celebration in the biggest auditorium room in town where students and teachers would gather to sing, dance, recite poems, presenting Chinese culture. I remember the auditorium filled with people eager to discover what is the meaning behind the Spring Festival and to learn more about Chinese culture. The only bad part is that they could not taste the delicious Chinese food, not even jiaozi, because who would cook for 500 people? The joy that we felt was immeasurable and everyone form the audience was not only understanding the true meaning of Spring Festival but, also, they were eager to talk with all the Chinese teachers. I remember the expression on a kid’s face when the show ended: it was all a smile, with glowing eyes saying to his parents: 「I want to go to China! I want to go to China!」 That moment my inner voice was also yelling: I want to go to China! Since then, I had a strong wish to keep on studying hard and go to experience the Chinese Festival with my own eyes.
During the pandemic The Spring Festival brought hope to the entire city, because the university organized an online celebration, when everyone thought that this beautiful festival will not be held. The Confucius institute gathered live and recorded performances of many famous Chinese singers and dancers. The joy and hope were spread again and people found this online gala a wonderful experience and a window to greater hope for the future. Those happy moments brought joy and happiness in people’s hearts and they all felt it was a new beggining. The Spring Festival has brought hope into their hearts.
A unique combination of modern and tradition
It took me 3 years to make my dream come true. I arrived in China last year, right after Spring Festival and I was overwhelmed by everything that surrounded me: the modern architecture, the infrastructure and all the technology used in everyday life, hence life was made so much easier than I ever imagined. I was surprised to find how people in a country where a modern and bustling life can combine with the practice of drinking tea and practicing Taichi. I think the fast life pace is slowed down by all the traditions and customs that Chinese preserved so well for hundreds of years. China is a rich country in all aspects: with a rich culture and history that takes a lifetime to be studied, and with a broad range of traditions that have been kept for thousand of years, but still at the same time, this country could never be told that is stuck in the past. On the contrary, it has one of the best economies in the world and it is always making new discoveries and advancement in medicine, architecture, infrastructure, technology and is setting a fast step for all countries in the world. Tradition and modern times seem to be in contrast in other countries, because in Europe there is always the problem of keeping the traditions among the younger generation and so more countries should take a look at China and get inspiration from how they integrate the past with the modern times.
A worldwide known celebration
Chinese people have kept this festival for generations and have maintained their traditions year after year. Moreover, they combined the traditions with technology so people can have an idea of what China really is: a splendid country that knows how to cherish its history, culture and festivals. London and San Francisco are proud of having the biggest Chinese New Year celebration outside China with many lanterns and dragon and lion dancing. Many people go to experience this special celebration and learn more about the Chinese culture, in general.
The Spring Migration is also an important part of the Spring Festival that stands for the true meaning of going back to your family and reunion stands for unity. No other place on Earth has this kind of phenomenon, therefore we all should learn from Chinese culture that family is so important because after all family is the foundation of the society. If family is a true place of love and joy, where everyone learns and develop, then the future of society is bright as a sky without clouds. Chinese society values a lot family and respect all relatives and this shows that China will definitely have a bright future. Since the family is the place where individuals are most directly impacted, it is seen as the center of society. This is where values may be instilled and change can be made most easily. The society can accomplish great things when families have faith in their ability to succeed, support one another, and help one another grow and reach new heights. However, society will not advance if families are kept in a perpetual state of destitution and hopelessness. Speaking of a single family, the influence that a family has on society is minimal. That is significant, though, when discussing families as a whole. We also have the power to positively impact one another since we are all influenced by one another in our interconnected systems. Early interactions help shape a child's expectations for the rest of their life. They later apply these life skills to their interactions with colleagues, acquaintances, loved ones, and even strangers. People's interactions with society are frequently shaped by these familial ties. They have an impact on the connections they will make in the community. They will learn to respect one another despite their differences and cooperate to achieve shared objectives from a family that is powerful. Thus, family is crucial to preventing us from becoming reclusive, solitary beings incapable of interacting, building relationships, or cooperating with others. A family is like a good ingredient in a hot pot. In the end, the hot pot tastes delicious because of each small ingredient, so is in the society, where all families form a perfect hot pot.
Now, all the streets are filled with lanterns and everywhere you see joy and happiness. If anyone feels a little down, upset or unhappy should walk the Chinese streets in full celebration, and they will feel better. Lanterns are a sign of prosperity and they welcome the new year with a lot of good wishes and the hope for a more successful year. I simply like to admire the different kind of lanterns that are everywhere, in a way I feel like the starts on the sky shine on the street through these beautiful lanterns. Moreover, this year is the year of the dragon, the mythical creature that always represented the Chinese nation. My sister is a dragon and she is very excited about this. The dragon is the fifth animal in the Chinese zodiac. The dragon is a symbol of luck, power, wellness, and the masculine element Yang in Chinese culture. Of all the animals in the Chinese zodiac, the dragon is special since it is the sole legendary being. Many other civilizations, including Western ones, view the dragon as a representation of evil and darkness. However, the dragon is seen as a symbol of imperial authority, prosperity, and well-being in China. In my culture, the dragon is seen as an obstacle that the hero needs to overcome. In many stories heroes fight with dragons to free beautiful princesses that they hold locked inside a tower. However, Chinese people do not picture the dragon as something evil, but as a sign of prosperity. If I can say, the dragon is the coolest mythical animal I know and so Chinese people are also very cool. I believe this new year will be a year of prosperity and luck with greater accomplishments for Chinese people and for all of us. I also hope that Chinese culture will spread around the world as a dragon that in its flight will bring a lot of knowledge to everyone.
I am looking forward to taking part into this celebration and experiencing its true meaning, as I felt years ago when my journey started and to actually fulfill my dream.
Happy New Year!
