The second “Bo Wen Recitation (Storytelling) Contest,” part of Wenzhou University’s International Chinese Carnival, was successfully held on the afternoon of April 29 in Lecture Hall 9 of the South Campus.

Sixteen international students from countries including Russia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, Morocco, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan took turns on stage to tell stories in Chinese about Liu Bowen, a renowned historical figure from Wenzhou. Through their lively retellings, the 600-year-old wisdom of this ancient strategist was given new life.

The contestants delivered creative presentations centered on Liu Bowen. Some explored his strategic thinking as a window into Chinese culture; others drew inspiration from classic sayings such as “gold on the outside, rot within” and “a gentleman strives for self-improvement.” Many shared stories of Liu’s journey from a boy in the mountains to a respected statesman, while others found life lessons in his fables from Yu Lizi. Each performance connected personal experience with cultural heritage, creating a vivid cross-cultural tapestry.

The event ended with a group photo of teachers and students. As a key part of the university’s second International Chinese Carnival, the contest aimed to tell Chinese stories and promote cultural understanding, while offering international students a platform to showcase their Chinese skills and share their cultural insights. Moving forward, the university will continue to use culture and language as bridges, helping young people grow through storytelling and spreading the beauty of Chinese across the globe.