Episode Details

Direct experience of country's heritage now key feature of high-level diplomacy

亲身感受中国历史文化正成为高层外交重要内容

During a visit to the Palace Museum in Beijing in January, veteran guide Wang Xiaoxin had the opportunity to give visiting Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo a tour. Wang shared a historical anecdote about Finnish-born art historian Osvald Siren, who was invited by Puyi, the last emperor of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), to visit the Forbidden City in 1922. This story immediately captured Orpo's attention.

今年1月，资深导游王晓新（音译）有机会为来北京访问的芬兰总理彼得里·奥尔波提供故宫博物院的讲解服务。王晓新分享了一个历史轶闻：1922年，出生于芬兰的艺术史学家喜龙仁曾受清朝末代皇帝溥仪的邀请参观紫禁城。这个故事立即引起了奥尔波的兴趣。

Over the next hour, Wang guided Orpo along the palace's central axis, introducing him to the architecture, imperial rituals and folk customs of ancient China. Orpo showed particular interest in the imperial examination system, and was surprised to learn that candidates once spent three consecutive days completing the demanding tests used to select government officials, according to Wang.

在接下来的一小时里，王晓新带领奥尔波沿着故宫中轴线参观，向他介绍中国古代的建筑、宫廷礼仪和民俗风情。据王晓新观察，奥尔波对科举制度表现出浓厚兴趣，当得知考生曾需要连续三天完成选拔官员的严格考试时，他感到惊讶。

After the visit, Orpo expressed his excitement on social media, describing it as "an amazing experience". He praised the guide and the tour, noting the remarkable juxtaposition of the centuries-old historical site in the middle of an enormous modern city filled with skyscrapers.

参观结束后，奥尔波在社交媒体上表达了他的兴奋之情，称这是一次"奇妙的经历"。他称赞了这次导览，并特别提到这座拥有数百年历史的文化遗址与现代摩天大楼林立的都市景象交相辉映，令人赞叹。

According to Wang, the Palace Museum provides one of the best windows for visitors to understand China. Within its walls are over a thousand years of cultural heritage, offering insights into the core ideas that have shaped Chinese culture.

王晓新认为，故宫是外国友人了解中国的最佳窗口之一。故宫承载了上千年的文化遗产，展现了塑造中华文化的核心理念。

"In recent years, there has been talk of a so-called 'China threat' in some Western societies," he noted. "However, when people visit the Palace Museum and learn about China's traditional culture, they often discover that Chinese philosophy has long emphasized harmony and balance."

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