STORY: French youth explores ancient Chinese culture, lantern traditions
SHOOTING TIME: Recent footage
DATELINE: Feb. 11, 2025
LENGTH: 00:01:53
LOCATION: NANJING, China
CATEGORY: CULTURE

SHOTLIST:
1. various of Laomendong scenic area
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): HUGO VIDAL TORRE, French student studying in China's Nanjing
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): HUGO VIDAL TORRE, French student studying in China's Nanjing and HE WENLE, Street artisan
4. SOUNDBITE 3 (English): HUGO VIDAL TORRE, French student studying in China's Nanjing
5. SOUNDBITE 4 (Chinese): HUGO VIDAL TORRE, French student studying in China's Nanjing and CAO HONG, Inheritor of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Qinhuai Lantern Art
6. SOUNDBITE 5 (English): HUGO VIDAL TORRE, French student studying in China's Nanjing

STORYLINE:

SOUNDBITE 1 (English): HUGO VIDAL TORRE, French student studying in China's Nanjing
"Hello, everyone. I'm Hugo, a French studying in Nanjing. During my time here, I really enjoyed traditional Chinese culture. Today, I'm visiting the Laomendong (scenic area), a place brimming with a festive vibe. Let me introduce it to you today. I saw many people passing by with traditional clothes. Let's try it."

SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): HUGO VIDAL TORRE, French student studying in China's Nanjing and HE WENLE, Street artisan
"Hello."
"Hello."
"What's this?"
"This is a portrait silhouette."
"It looks very good."

SOUNDBITE 3 (English): HUGO VIDAL TORRE, French student studying in China's Nanjing
"Besides its commercial area, Laomendong has a residential one. It got renovated but has kept its background and its history."

SOUNDBITE 4 (Chinese): HUGO VIDAL TORRE, French student studying in China's Nanjing and CAO HONG, Inheritor of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Qinhuai Lantern Art
"Hello."
"Hello. Hello, everyone. Let me introduce you to this snake lantern, the largest one in Laomendong. The Qinhuai Lantern Festival has a history of about 1,700 years. The base of this lantern is made of lotus lanterns."
"I want to learn how to make the lantern."
"Sure. Come to my workshop and I'll teach you."
"First, we need to glue it with paste. There are six intersection points for the first layer, so we need to paste six pieces. Okay, after attaching the petals, press them firmly to ensure they adhere completely to the lantern. See, it's done. Let's enjoy the fruits of our work."

SOUNDBITE 5 (English): HUGO VIDAL TORRE, French student studying in China's Nanjing
"As the sun goes down, lanterns light up. Today, I experienced the Spring Festival in Laomendong. From making lanterns to trying traditional costumes, I really enjoyed it and I hope you can experience the same."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Nanjing, China.
(XHTV)