World Games blend sports, cultural discoveries

As the 12th World Games in Chengdu, Sichuan province, approach their closing ceremony on Sunday, athletes will take home more than just medals and glory — they will also carry indelible memories of China's profound culture.

Cecilia Jaques, an athlete from the Brazilian women's fistball team, has paid frequent visits with her teammates to a cultural bazaar in the World Games Village, which exudes the charm of ancient traditions.

There, they can immerse themselves in diverse cultural activities, such as learning Chinese calligraphy and painting, wearing traditional Chinese attire, practicing tai chi or Baduanjin exercises, a traditional Chinese form of aerobics, and experiencing traditional Chinese medical massage.

The interactive workshops also allow them to learn Chinese intangible cultural heritage crafts, including bamboo weaving, embroidery, shadow puppetry and paper-cutting.

"There are so many different activities every day, and we enjoyed them," Jaques said, adding that her favorite was a traditional woodblock printing workshop, where she learned to press intricate designs onto paper.

"I didn't even know the exact name of the craft, but it was so nice," she said.

Su Bo, deputy director of the games executive committee's World Games Village department, said that an average of over 900 people have participated in the interactive cultural activities every day.

"All the handmade creations at the interactive workshops can be taken home as special gifts that carry the wonderful memories of the games," he said.

The organizers also set up a "Chinese Bridge" language zone in the games village, which attracts over 600 daily visitors seeking to learn to speak Chinese, write Chinese characters, sing Chinese songs, cook Chinese dishes, and get a Chinese name, Su said.

Meanwhile, the night cultural performances, which started on Aug 8, have seen the total participation of over 3,000 people as of Thursday, he added.

Outside the games village, athletes and delegation officials have been discovering more cultural offerings in the city's urban area.

Marie Stephan, a squash athlete from France, went on a city tour during competition breaks and was amazed by the stunning night views of Chengdu.

"We went through an ancient corridor bridge and walked a bit downtown. It was really a nice experience," she said, adding that she also loves the local cuisine.

Stephan said she is super happy that the games are being held in China this year. "We didn't have much time to do all the tourist activities, but I definitely think I'll come back to China for a tour of the whole country," she said.

Wang Feng, head of the games executive committee's urban services department, said they offer seven urban cultural experience routes covering a total of 17 spots, with over 2,200 athletes and guests having registered to participate.

The most popular route has turned out to be the one to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, where more than 200 giant pandas live and visitors get to see them up close, Wang said.

Another popular option is the nighttime tour route, which includes a bus ride to enjoy urban night views and taste hot pot, a cruise on the Jinjiang River for light shows, and finally a Sichuan opera face-changing performance at Wangjianglou Park, he added.

Gao Yiqiang, deputy director of the games executive committee's publicity department (opening and closing ceremonies department), said that the World Games Plaza in Chengdu Eastern New Area has also been providing diverse cultural offerings since Aug 8.

From artistic performances and sports demonstrations to technology exhibitions and hands-on experience of intangible cultural heritage crafts, the cultural activities have attracted a total of over 13,000 participants, Gao said.

"By hosting all these cultural activities, we aim to facilitate cross-cultural exchanges and foster friendship among participants worldwide," he added.