Xu Yan teaches Chinese and Russian students to write Chinese characters with writing brushes. [Photo/chinanews.com.cn]

More than 40 Chinese and Russian students recently attended a Chinese character class together at Nanjing Zhongshan Primary School, experiencing the charm of Chinese language and culture through interactive learning.

Xu Yan, the teacher leading the class, said Chinese characters serve not only as a window to understanding China, but also as a bridge for cross-cultural communication. She revealed that her team is developing a set of engaging introductory Chinese character books for overseas learners, including children of Chinese heritage.

"It was my first time taking a Chinese calligraphy class," said a Russian middle school student. "The teacher helped us recognize Chinese characters through patterns and illustrations, and I really felt the charm of Chinese culture."

The activity was part of a recent education and cultural exchange program between Nanjing and Pushkino. The visit by the Russian delegation stemmed from the friendly partnership established since 2025 between Nanjing Zhongshan Primary School and the Educational Center No 7 in Ivanteyevka district of Pushkino.

A Russian student shows her written Chinese characters "日 (sun)" and "月 (moon)". [Photo/chinanews.com.cn]

Previously, the two sides jointly organized the "China in My Heart, Russia in My Heart" painting exhibition, which has become a notable example of cultural and people-to-people exchanges between China and Russia.