'Well-rounded in Both Chinese Arts and Martial Arts', Sierra Leone Youths Are 'Broadening Their Future'

央媒观豫：刘伟，嵩山少林武术职业学院讲师，2021年12月赴塞拉利昂大学孔子学院从事中华武术教学工作，组织学生累计参加了上百场文化交流活动，提升了中华武术在塞拉利昂的影响力。2月27日，新华网专题报道外派教师刘伟，在塞拉利昂教授中文和武术，为当地青年“拓宽赛道”的事迹。河南国际传播中心对该稿件进行编译。

Liu Wei, a teacher at Songshan Shaolin Wushu College, Central China's Henan Province, came to the Confucius Institute at University of Sierra Leone in December 2021 to teach Chinese martial arts. Presently, he has organized students to take part in more than a hundred cultural exchange activities, thereby enhancing the influence of Chinese martial arts in Sierra Leone. On February 27th, Xinhua News reported on Liu Wei's endeavors, highlighting his role in teaching Chinese language and martial arts in Sierra Leone. Henan International Communication Center renders and edits the article.

'Well-rounded in Both Chinese Arts and Martial Arts', Sierra Leone Youths Are 'Broadening Their Future'

‘文武双全’为塞拉利昂青年‘拓宽赛道’

Photo/Songshan Shaolin Wushu College

In the scorching sun of February in Sierra Leone, "Chinese master" Liu Wei is captivating nearly 100 students with a performance of the Five-Step Boxing at a middle school in the capital, Freetown. With a determined gaze and fluid movements, he sweats profusely yet exhilaratingly, earning rounds of applause.

2月的塞拉利昂，骄阳似火。在首都弗里敦一所中学里，“中国师父”刘伟正为近百名学生表演五步拳。他眼神坚毅，动作行云流水，挥汗如雨却酣畅淋漓，赢得阵阵掌声。

Liu Wei serves as a martial arts instructor at the Confucius Institute at University of Sierra Leone (CIUSL), which was established in 2012 as the first Confucius Institute in West Africa. Over the years, CIUSL has set up more than 20 teaching sites across Sierra Leone, spanning primary, secondary and tertiary education. In doing so, it has also made martial arts culture a "hallmark" of China-Sierra Leone cooperation.

刘伟是塞拉利昂大学孔子学院（简称：塞大孔院）的武术教师。塞大孔院成立于2012年，是西非第一所孔院。多年来，塞大孔院在塞境内建立了20余个教学点，在实现覆盖大、中、小学教育的同时，也将武术文化打造成中塞合作的“金字招牌”。

Photo/Songshan Shaolin Wushu College

Every Tuesday morning, the entire student body of the affiliated middle school at Fula Bay College gathers for martial arts classes, with Liu Wei serving as the "chief instructor". He alternates between delivering "lectures" and providing one-on-one corrections among the students refining students' postures. To manage the energetic and restless students, Liu Wei occasionally calls upon his local apprentices to assist, serving as "Left and Right Custodians" of the class.

每周二上午，福拉湾学院附中全校齐上武术课，刘伟作为“总教头”，一会儿在前演示“训话”，一会儿在学生队伍中一对一纠正动作。面对活泼好动的学生，刘伟也会不时请他的塞拉利昂徒弟“出山”，作为课堂的“左右护法”。

The "Left Custodian" Sosley (索思利) is a disciple personally trained by Liu after his arrival in Sierra Leone. In2021, during a martial arts exchange event, Liu noticed Sosley's exceptional flexibility and innate martial arts talent, prompting him to begin training Sosley in Tai Chi. The "Right custodian" Karbo (卡尔博) has been practicing martial arts for years and has made multiple journeys to China's Shaolin Temple for exchanges and training.

“左护法”索思利是刘伟抵塞后亲手带出来的徒弟。2021年，一次武术交流活动上，刘伟发现索思利身体柔韧，极具习武天赋，便开始带他打太极。“右护法”卡尔博则习武多年，曾多次前往中国少林寺交流锻炼。

Photo/Songshan Shaolin Wushu College

"Master Liu taught us not only kung fu but also the Chinese language, providing us with a richer experience and a deeper understanding of Chinese culture," Karbo remarked.

“刘师父不仅教我们功夫，还教我们中文。这让我们积累更多的经验，更深入了解中国文化。”卡尔博说。

Karbo commenced his Chinese studies at CIUSL in 2017. On the playground of the Flawama Academy Secondary School, Karlbo occasionally imitates Liu Wei's tone and addresses the students in Chinese. "Maintaining reverence is an essential aspect of martial arts learning," he shared with the reporter.

卡尔博2017年就开始在塞大孔院学习汉语。在福拉湾学院附中的操场上，卡尔博时不时学着刘伟的口吻用中文对学生训话。“敬畏是学习武术非常重要的一环。”他告诉记者。

Liu Wei conducts classes at multiple teaching sites each week, with each session lasting up to three hours. With the help of his apprentices, martial arts instruction has flourished at various locations throughout Sierra Leone. According to Chen Xuebin, the Chinese dean of CIUSL, martial arts as a flagship program was an unexpected success.

刘伟每周要在多个教学点上课，每节课长达3小时。在徒弟们的帮助下，武术教学在塞多点“开花”。据塞大孔院中方院长陈学斌介绍，该院武术的“金字招牌”属于“无心插柳柳成荫”。

Initially, Tai Chi teaching activities were only taken at CIUSL's affiliated teaching sites. As students' interest in Tai Chi grew, students and faculty at these teaching sites reached a consensus to offer Tai Chi classes in their spare time.

起初，塞大孔院的太极教学活动只在下设的教学点开课，随着学生对太极学习的兴趣渐浓，教学点师生达成共识，利用课余时间开设太极拳班。

During the celebration evening marking the45th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Sierra Leone in 2016, students and instructors from the Tai Chi interest group performed collectively for the first time, captivating audiences across Sierra Leone. Following the performance, numerous individuals from outside the school approached for consultation and expressed their interest in learning Tai Chi at the Confucius Institute.

在2016年庆祝中塞建交45周年庆典晚会上，太极兴趣班的师生首次同台演出，精彩的表演吸引了塞拉利昂各界的关注。表演结束后，许多校外人士前来咨询并表达想到孔院学习太极的意愿。

In October 2016, the Confucius Instituteat the University of Sierra Leone added a Tai Chi martial arts club, open to all sectors of society, attracting over a hundred participants, including local dignitaries, diplomats from various countries, and local residents. Former Egyptian ambassador to Sierra Leone Maher Mahdi has mastered Chen-style Tai Chi, Zhan Zhuang (standing meditation), simplified twenty-four forms of Tai Chi, Ba Duan Jin (eight-segment brocade), etc, which causes a sensation in Sierra Leone diplomatic circles.

2016年10月，塞大孔院增设武术太极俱乐部，面向社会各界开放，更吸引了包括当地政要、各国使节及当地民众在内百余人参与。其中，前埃及驻塞大使马希尔·迈赫迪作为重要的学员代表，在练习后掌握了陈氏太极、站桩、简化二十四式、八段锦等，在塞拉利昂外交圈引起轰动。

Chen observed that "the fascination with martial arts" and "the enthusiasm for Chinese language" complement each other in Sierra Leone. In recent years, many Chinese learners has broadened the horizons and find job positions there, while more young students aspire to realize their dreams by mastering Chinese.

陈学斌说，“武术热”和“中文热”在塞拉利昂相辅相成。近年来，中文为众多塞拉利昂青年“拓宽了赛道”，越来越多年轻学子希望通过掌握中文逐梦未来。

Karbo disclosed his preparation for the Chinese Proficiency Test and expressed his desire to pursue further studies in China promptly, aiming to actualize his martial arts aspirations. "I've cherished martial arts since childhood and aspire to become a martial arts and Chinese teacher in the future," he said.

卡尔博说，他正在全力备考汉语水平考试，希望能早日到中国求学深造，实现他的武术梦。“我从小就喜欢武术，希望以后能成为一名武术和中文老师。”（新闻来源/新华社 记者/史彧 许正 编译/童林 崔文琦 英文审校/温晓梅）