Many people here are interested in China and Chinese literature, and reading Chinese books is an effective way to know more about the Chinese culture, said Frances Wood, a famous British sinologue.
In Russian online book store OZON, Chinese writer Mo Yan's novel "Life and Death Are Wearing Me Out" has been given the highest rating of five by Russian readers and Chinese writer Bi Feiyu's "Massage" is graded 4.8.
Chinese movies and TV dramas, such as "Monster Hunt," "Nirvana in Fire," and "Ode to Joy" have been introduced to many countries and aroused global enthusiasm for Chinese films and television.
"China is quite far from Africans, however, we feel that the Chinese people are with us through watching Chinese films and TV dramas, sharing happiness, sorrows and dreams," said Clermont Mszana, president of Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation.
In Vietnam, Chinese films and TV dramas have won a lot of fans as the two countries have similar cultures. In recent years, a variety of Chinese TV shows such as "We Are In Love" and "Where Are We Going, Dad?" have become popular in the neighboring country.
There are a rich variety of Chinese cultural products in Vietnam, for example, Chinese films and TV dramas which boast a huge number of viewers, said Tran Thi Thug, a researcher with the Institute of Chinese Studies at the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences.
"The influence of China's soft power has been increasing in the world," Tran said.
CHINESE SPRING FESTIVAL GOES GLOBAL
"This year we must make Chinese dumplings during the Spring Festival. It must follow my Chinese mother's recipe without any change," said Andrea Miles, an Australian, before this year's Chinese Spring Festival.
She was preparing to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year at home by making dumplings with her Chinese friends in Sydney.
Like Miles, many foreigners want to celebrate the Chinese New Year as the Spring Festival has been celebrated not only in Chinatowns and Asian communities, but also in mainstream societies of various countries.
Different countries celebrate the Spring Festival in many ways, such as the Spring Festival-themed costumes on the Empire State Building in New York, the London Eye, Sydney Opera House and other famous landmarks, the new year's greetings by dignitaries and leaders of some international institutions, and the zodiac stamps issued all over the world.
Apart from those regular activities, something new has emerged, such as the first Spring Festival Gala on TV in France, a "Happy Spring Festival" at schools in the United States, temple fairs held by 56 countries on five continents, and "A Walking New Year's Eve Dinner" in Madrid, Spain, among others.
"Spring Festival attaches great importance to family and friendship. It worships inclusion, emphasizes harmony, and thus is similar to the spirit of multiculturalism of the United States," said Liao Shenzhan, dean of a Confucius Institute in the United States.
"With China's rapid development and the increasing population of the ethnic Chinese, the Chinese traditional culture, such as the Spring Festival, is becoming a dynamic culture worldwide," he added.
