In the early autumn of 2026, the hot winds in South and Southeast Asia still bring a moist warmth. In the shadows of coconut trees in Colombo, Sri Lanka, and in the Chinese campuses in Penang and Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, Chinese cultural journeys across mountains and seas are quietly blooming.
Chinese painting teacher Chen Yiyuan takes a group photo with students from Sri Lanka showing their paintings
From Penang and Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia in May to the Indian Ocean in September, the footprints of the Chinese talent training event "Meet in Colorful Yunnan" are like a gorgeous cultural ribbon, weaving the deep friendship of Colorful Yunnan into the hearts of overseas Chinese. This is not only the teaching of skills, but also the guardianship of roots; not only the exchange of art, but also the connection between people.
Use literature as a medium to make Chinese culture “alive”
In Sri Lanka's Western Province, nearly 300 students sat together. There is no boring preaching here, only the blending of singing, dancing and the fragrance of calligraphy and tea. "Learn to sing a song, learn to dance, learn a set of boxing, learn to draw a picture, and learn to write a calligraphy." This "five one" curriculum is like a key, opening the door for children to perceive Chinese culture.
When the agile figures of folk dances rotate on the stage, when the strokes of calligraphy and painting flow on rice paper, when the vigorous and powerful martial arts performances shock the audience, the applause of the audience is not only recognition of skills, but also heartfelt admiration for the charm of Chinese culture. Fang Jiadu, president of the Overseas Chinese Federation of Sri Lanka, lamented that with the deepening of cooperation between China and Sri Lanka, the overseas Chinese community’s demand for Chinese culture has become increasingly urgent. This event was a timely blessing, allowing the seeds of Chinese culture to take root and sprout in the hearts of overseas Chinese.
Teachers and students of Union Secondary School in Penang, Malaysia, display their calligraphy exercises
Attention turns to Malaysia. In two Chinese secondary schools in Penang and Kota Kinabalu, more than 600 teachers, students and parents were immersed in the 11-day intensive training. A team of backbone teachers from Yuxi transformed classic songs such as "Wanjiang" and "Don't Hear the Sound of Beating Leaves Through the Forest" into dance language, using dance postures as a bridge and educating the heart with beauty; in the chorus class, from shyness to confidence, the Chinese elegance is conveyed in the harmony of the voices; in the calligraphy and traditional Chinese painting classes, the character is hidden in the horizontal postures of pen and ink, and the dots and paintings reveal the artistic conception.
This kind of "immersive" teaching breaks down language barriers and makes Chinese culture tangible, perceptible, and approachable. As the Malaysian organizer said, this is not only a technical teaching, but also a relay inheritance of cultural heritage.
Use overseas Chinese as a bridge to "tighten" emotional ties
The cultural exchanges between Yunnan, Sri Lanka and Malaysia have profound roots and long-lasting friendship.
As early as 2023, the "Chinese Cultural Paradise-Sri Lanka Colombo Camp" had left wonderful memories for more than 200 students. Today, the "Meet in Colorful Yunnan" brand continues to make efforts, deepening from "sending culture" to "growing culture". Li Wenhua, a staff member of the Yunnan Overseas Cultural and Education Center, said that this is a concrete practice to serve the construction of Yunnan’s radiation center for South Asia and Southeast Asia.
Martial arts teacher Guan Peng is teaching "Southern Boxing" to Sri Lankan students
In Malaysia, this emotional bond is particularly strong. Chinese education is regarded as the foundation for Malaysian Chinese to inherit Chinese culture. The "Meet Yunnan" Chinese talent training event not only received strong support from the local education department and overseas Chinese associations, but also attracted widespread media attention. Mainstream media such as "Nanyang Siang Pau" and "Kwong Wah Daily" reported the entire event, and many domestic media followed up simultaneously, forming a joint communication momentum at home and abroad.
Leaders of the Malaysian Chinese community attended the event and delivered speeches, the local Chinese school board of directors fully cooperated, and Chinese teenagers enthusiastically participated... Behind all this is the deep attachment of overseas Chinese to their ancestral country and the strong resonance with Chinese cultural identity. Through Chinese talent training, Yunnan not only showcases national arts with regional characteristics, but also explores a new model of effective cooperation with overseas Chinese schools. Many schools have expressed their hope to establish a normalized mechanism so that the warmth of cultural exchanges can continue year after year.
Make intensive efforts to make the brand effect “bright”
Since the "14th Five-Year Plan", the Yunnan Overseas Cultural and Education Center has organized troupes to perform 26 performances for overseas Chinese in Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Bangladesh and other countries, and visited more than 50,000 overseas Chinese; the Chinese Talent Training Troupe has traveled to many countries in Southeast Asia. This series of solid actions has created the golden signature of the "Colorful Yunnan" overseas Chinese-related cultural exchange brand. Following the successful trip to Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai and other places in Thailand in 2025 to carry out Chinese talent training and consolidate the friendship between overseas Chinese in northern Thailand, the trip to Sri Lanka and Malaysia in 2026 is the epitome and new starting point of this brand building. From carefully selecting subject leaders from Yuxi City to form an expert team, to purchasing teaching aids in advance and creating customized calligraphy and painting scrolls, every detail demonstrates professionalism and attentiveness. The teachers overcame difficulties such as hot weather and differences in teaching conditions, and demonstrated the warmth and power of Chinese aesthetic education with their extremely high teaching quality and dedication.
Looking forward to the future, Yunnan will continue to cultivate the key characteristic brand of "Meet in Colorful Yunnan", rely on multiple communication channels, expand overseas coverage, use overseas Chinese as a bridge and literature as a media, send more Chinese cultural quality projects to overseas Chinese, further highlight the role of Chinese talents in Chinese education, enhance the cultural identity and pride of Chinese teenagers, and contribute to the mutual learning of civilizations and people-to-people bonds between China and Malaysia, Sri Lanka and even South and Southeast Asian countries.
Although the mountains and seas are far apart, they are connected by cultural context. When the artistic flowers of Caiyunzhinan bloom in the land of Nanyang, it is not only the spread of culture, but also the gathering of people's hearts. On this road leading to the depths of the soul, "Meet in Colorful Yunnan" is writing a moving chapter of people-to-people diplomacy in the new era with its unique charm.
