Beautiful Hungarian traditional costumes, picturesque exotic scenery, and the legend of Princess Sisi... A Hungarian Culture Exhibition is in full swing at the One O’clock Coffee shop in a European-style old building within Tianjin’s time-honored business district, Xiaobailou The exhibition curator is TIHANYI ISTVAN, a young fellow from Hungary . “I went to a Chinese university, started a business in Tianjin, and for all the time have devoted myself to be the envoy of Sino-Hungary friendship. I’m doing what Chinese President Xi Jinping told us.” He was much inspired by President Xi’s reply to students at the Hungarian-Chinese Bilingual School on Jan. 31. "What I am doing is in line with Xi’s entrust and I want to do better in the future."
TIHANYI was a small child when President Xi Jinping first visited Hungary in 2009. Since then, he has developed a keen interest in China. In September, 2014, he was admitted to the first modern university in China, Tianjin University (TJU), to study for a master’s degree and then fell in love with Chinese culture and his second hometown Tianjin.
“I majored in environmental engineering at the School of Environmental Science and Engineering and got my master degree in 2017. I love my university. During my study there, I was selected as the student assistant to our university principal and learned a lot from this experience. I was fascinated by Chinese culture and developed a deep bond with the city Tianjin where I studied, so I decided to start up business here after graduation.”
TIHANYI opened a Hungarian red wine workshop in Tianjin in 2019.
“I try to promote the cultural exchanges between China and Hungary so as to let more people know that the cultural difference between the two countries is not that large. For example, some Chinese idioms and customs are very similar to Hungarian traditional culture.”
Action speaks louder than words. TIHANYI got involved in many activities to promote cultural communication between the two countries. In 2021, he participated in a short video contest for expats in Tianjin held by Tianjin Municipal Science and Technology Bureau and won the second prize. On January 25, 2023, during the Chinese New Year Festival, he held the Hungarian Cultural Exhibition in Tianjin with the support of the Hungarian Embassy.
TIHANYI was so excited when he learned President Xi Jinping’s correspondence with the Hungary students.
“I really hope that Chinese friends could go and visit Hungary and more Hungarian students can come and study in China. In this way, the Sino-Hungary relation will be greatly enhanced. I advise Chinese learners to come over and see modern China with their own eyes. Otherwise, you will never imagine how fast China is developing and how safe the country is.”
“I’m committed to let more people see the Sino-Hungray friendship, not only on the national level, but also among ordinary people in the two countries. In history, Hungary and China have always been supportive to each other. Through this Hungarian cultural exhibition in Tianjin, I want to show my Chinese friends Hungarian clothes and food. Actually, some Hungarian traditional dishes are similar to Chinese dishes and Hungarian red wine and white wine go well with Chinese cuisine.”
TIHANYI has studied and lived in Tianjin for many years. Up to now, he has opened two wineries and a coffee shop. “Tianjin is my second hometown and I plan to establish a Hungarian cultural center in Tianjin. In this way, I hope to make my own contribution to promoting the relationship between Hungary and China on a higher platform.
By Hou Shuangning
Editor: Eva Yin
