AcrossChina:MusicandmartialartswitnessChina-Francepeople-to-peopleexchanges_GuangmingOnlineFrenchmartialartsenthusiastspracticetraditionalChineseQigongbreathingexercisesattheMountFanjingshaninTongrenCity,southwestChina'sGuizhouProvince,April13,2024.(Xinhua/WuSi)GUIYANG,April23(Xinhua)--BeforereturningtoFrance,HanaAccot,27,sangalovesongduringaroadsideconcertheldinGuiyang,thecapitalcityofsouthwestChina'sGuizhouProvince.ItwasalsoherwayofexpressinghergratitudeforthehospitalityshowntoherbythelocalpeopleinGuiyang.FromApril7to19,ateamofabout50FrenchtouristsvisitedGuizhouProvince,experiencinglocalcultureandpracticingTaichiaswellasQigongalongthejourneywiththeirmasterKeWen,whofoundedLesTempsduCorp,anassociationpromotingChinesecultureinFrance.InspiredbyhermotherwhohaspracticedtraditionalChinesemartialartsforseveralyearsandbeentoChinaforfourtimes,AccotembarkedonherjourneytoChina.OntheeveningofApril18,alocalbandcalledJiangziperformedtheclassicsongsofChineserockbandBeyondduringaroadsideconcert,arousingaudience'snostalgiaandattractingthemtosingtogether.Differentfromregularconcerts,roadsideconcerts,mainlyperformedbylocalbandsandmusicenthusiasts,attractedalotoftouristsandresidentstowatchperformancesonbustlingstreetsandintouristattractions.Duringthebreak,whenAccotcameuponthestagetosingthelovesong,shewonloudapplauseandcheeringfromtheaudience."Thebandwasamazing,andthesingerwassogoodandsanglikeamusician.AndItwasagoodtimeformebecauseItriedtogivethemwhattheygavetous,"saidAccot."Musicistheuniversallanguageandhasnoboundaries,"sheadded."Evenifwedidn'tspeakthesamelanguage,wecouldunderstandthemusic,andtheemotionsattachedtothelyrics."AccotsaidthatdespiteherinterestinQigong,shedoesnotpracticeitverywell.Sheplanstolearnfromhermotherandpracticeitmoreoftenwhenshereturnshome.Justlikemusic,Chinesemartialartsprovideanothertiesthatbindthepeopleofthetwocountriestogether.FranoisCallens,64,haspracticedTaichiformorethan20years.Callenssaidthatdespiteanaturalinclinationforintenseexercises,hefellinlovewithTaichiwhenhehadthefirstexperiencewithit.HerunsaclubintheprefectureofBrittanyandteachesTaichito19Frenchpeopletwiceaweek.CallensemphasizedthatTaichifocusesonharmonyandtheprincipleoflivinginaccordwithnature,whichtaughthimhowtogetalongwithhimselfandtheworld.InFrance,heseldomgottheopportunitytoplayTaichiwithacrowdofmartialartsenthusiaststogether.WhileinChina,hejoinedlocalstoplayTaichiatthecitysquareorinthepark.Hewasinvitedtotakepicturesafterpractices,whichwas"soempoweringandtouching"tohim."IfeltpurefriendshipaswellastheenthusiasmofChinesemartialartsfans.Taichiisthebridgeforourculturalexchanges,"hesaid.Franois-RegisHannarthasvisitedChinaonbusinessformorethan10timessincethe1970sandstartedpracticingQigongafewyearsago.HechosetofollowhismasterKeWentothemountainousprovinceofGuizhouthistime,sincehewantedtoimprovehisunderstandingoftraditionalChineseculture,Qigonginparticular.Duringthepastfivedecades,HannarthaswitnessedandexperiencedtherapiddevelopmentofChina."ThefirsttimeIcamehere,itseemedthatsomanythingshadtoberebuilt.Andnowallareabsolutelyfantastic,"hesaid.Thisyearmarksthe60thanniversaryoftheestablishmentofdiplomatictiesbetweenChinaandFrance,andisalsotheChina-FranceYearofCultureandTourism.■ChineseandFrenchmartialartsenthusiastspracticethetraditionalexerciseBaduanjinintheQingyanancienttowninGuiyangCity,southwestChina'sGuizhouProvince,April19,2024.(Xinhua/WuSi)FrenchtouristHanaAccot(1stR)singsasongataroadsideconcertinGuiyangCity,southwestChina'sGuizhouProvince,April18,2024.(Xinhua/WuSi)Editor:DisclaimerTheviewsandopinionsexpressedinthisarticlearethoseoftheauthor's,GMW.cnmakesnorepresentationsastoaccuracy,suitability,orvalidityofanyinformationonthissiteandwillnotbeliableforanyerrors,omissions,ordelaysinthisinformation.