Recently, the Confucius Institute at the University of Poitiers organized some of the Chinese learners from the Chinese class that is for the elderly to participate in the “Chinese Characters” cultural experience event in Paris. The learners participated in this event at their own expense. The teachers of the Confucius Institute guided them to visit Musée Guimet with a large number of Asian art works in their collections and Chinese blocks in Paris, and to attend the “Chinese Characters” lecture.

When learners from the Confucius Institute arrived at Musée Guimet, they were deeply attracted by the variety of exhibits at the museum, and the collections associated with history and evolution of Chinese characters, such as ancient inscriptions on bones or tortoise shells of the Shang Dynasty, inscriptions on ancient bronze objects, and bamboo slips, etc. were exhibited for the Chinese learners. The visit enabled them to gain an in-depth understanding of the charm of Chinese characters and realize the extensiveness and profoundness of Chinese culture.

The Confucius Institute contacted with the museum in advance for the arrangement of a cultural lecture with the theme of “Chinese Characters”. The lecture was given by an expert of the museum who introduced the valuable Chinese art works in the museum’s collections, and explained the historical development and evolution of Chinese characters, the relationship between Chinese characters and calligraphy, and traditional Chinese painting, etc.

The University for the Elderly, which is subordinate to the University of Poitiers, has been in cooperation with the Confucius Institute for nearly two years. Those 60-85 years old people have become new students of the Confucius Institute in addition to the university students, the elementary and secondary school students and adult students. At present, there are nearly 40 students learning Chinese at the Confucius Institute, and they have been the new group of Chinese learners.