by Xinhua writers Yang Shilong Miles Boykin Womens Jersey , Zhang Zhihuan

NEW YORK, June 18 (Xinhua) -- In 1601, an Italian missionarynamed Matteo Ricci (1552-1610) entered the Forbidden City inBeijing, the Chinese imperial palace, opening a path for East-Westcultural exchange that many people set foot on.

Inspired by Matteo Ricci's legend, in 1986, Dionisio Cimarelli,aged 21 then, boarded a Trans-Siberian train to Beijing for thefirst time.

FASCINATED WITH CHINA

""China is one of my very old passion. Since I was a student Jaylon Ferguson Womens Jersey , Iwas very interested in Chinese culture, Chinese art, Chinesepeople....so in 1986 I stopped my study in the academy and Idecided to move to China for a big trip,"" said Cimarelli, who nowteaches sculpture at the New York Academy of Arts.

""Matteo Ricci probably went to China to teach, but I went thereprimarily to understand, which was also my way to try to understandand exchange, and explain to the Chinese my culture, my education Marquise Brown Womens Jersey ,and Chinese can teach me their own culture,"" he told Xinhua.

China at that time was not yet fully open to tourism and streetsof its cities were full of bikes, no busy traffic at all, herecalled.

""...in 1986, I found China a poor country, it was coming outfrom a very difficult time in terms of economy and culture. But in1986 I was also able to see the beginning of the change after theopening-up,"" he said, referring to China's adoption of the policyof reform and opening to the outside world in 1978.

Cimarelli returned to find a very different China in 2004 and hestayed nine years since in the booming country.

""I feel very lucky and I'm very very proud that I was able tosee this change which would not only be part of China, but alsopart of the world change Authentic Tim Williams Jersey ,"" he said.

""I saw huge change. From 1986 to 2004, China already changed alot,"" he said.

""But during my nine years in China from 2004 to 2013, there washuge, enormous, amazing change. I was able to see every week thedifference in Shanghai and Beijing, which I was going to veryoften. Continuously I saw the change,"" he said.

""I would say that in 2007 and 2008, there were the biggestchanges in Beijing before the Olympic Games Authentic Chris Wormley Jersey , I would say the changewas 180 degree completely,"" he said.

""I could also see the change of people, the change of theattitude of the Chinese. They became more wealthy, they started totravel, they started to know. For the young people, they were ableto do their Ph.D. in Europe and the U.S.A. So there are theenormous changes, you almost can't recognize the country, I wouldsay,"" he said.

CHOOSING PORCELAIN AS STEP CLOSER TO CHINESE CULTURE

""China for me was an amazing experience Authentic Tyus Bowser Jersey , incredible. That's whyI was able to stay for such a long time. It is because I've alwaysbeen interested and curious and have always been learning thehistory and the mentality of the Chinese people, to understandthem,"" said Cimarelli.

In Beijing, Cimarelli met Situ Jie, a renowned sculptor at theCentral Academy of Arts. He was then introduced to other professorsand students at the academy. In 2006, he moved to Shanghai to workfor a cultural institute.

Soon his expertise and experience in China caught the attentionof the Italian government which commissioned him to do a sculptureof Matteo Ricci for the Italy Pavilion at the Shanghai World Expoin 2010.

""Matteo Ricci was coming very close to my hometown. What he didwas a bridge between the Western culture and the Chinese culture,""Cimarelli said.

""So when they offered me this opportunity, I was really excited,I said Authentic Jaleel Scott Jersey , of course I would do it. I tried to make it somethingunique, something different which could represent Italy andrepresent China, Chinese culture as a bridge,"" he said.

Cimarelli finally created a 1.5-meter-tall bronze sculpture ofMatteo Ricci adorned with gilded calligraphy. The calligraphy infact is Cimarelli's name written in Chinese characters. It took himsix weeks to model and another twelve weeks to finish the sculpturewhich was collected by the Shanghai Italian Center in 2013following the expo.

Life in China also transformed Cimarelli's pursuit of art,making figurative sculptures in Chinese porcelain instead ofItalian ceramics.

""When I made my series of porcelain, that was probably the mostimportant learning, because I never did any porcelain before. I wascoming from a culture of ceramic, Italian ceramics, which lookssimilar but is completely different Authentic Kenny Young Jersey ,"" he said.

""So porcelain for me is an understanding of the culture ofChina, an understanding of a way of living, an understanding of away of working. So for me to choose porcelain is a step forwardcloser to the Chinese culture,"" he said.

EXPECTATION OF EUROPE-ASIA HIGH-SPEED RAILWAY

Italy is a nation in the West with cultural ties closest toChina, Cimarelli said, it is no surprise that in China the two mostfamous historical figures from the West are Italian -- Marco Polo(1254-1324) and Matteo Ricci.

He is confident that Italy, once an important terminal of theancient Silk Road, would play a major role in the Belt and RoadInitiative proposed by China in 2013.

The initiative consists of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the21st-Century Maritime Silk Road, with an aim to build a trade andinfrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa alongand beyond the ancient Silk Road trade routes.

Apart from the economics Authentic Anthony Averett Jersey , Cimarelli said, the Belt and RoadInitiative, just as the ancient Silk Road, serves for a deepercause too, which is the exchange and understanding of cultures.

""I think primarily it's business. That was the same in theMiddle Age when Marco Polo was travelling, that's the main purpose.But behind that, for me the culture is very important,"" hesaid.

""It would be like a way, a road along which you can do businesswith countries Authentic Orlando Brown Jr. Jersey , but there is also cultural exchange which we needtoday,"" h

Are Coupe menst. Cheap Wholesale Jerseys   Cheap Throwback Jerseys   Cheap Jerseys China   Cheap NHL Jerseys   Cheap NFL Jerseys   Wholesale Jerseys   Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale   Wholesale Soccer Jerseys   Wholesale NHL Jerseys China Free Shipping   Wholesale Basketball Jerseys China