Lenovo: A carrier of Chinese culture

To mark National Teachers' Day, and as part of its efforts for the Paralympic Games, volunteers from computer maker and Lenovo taught foreign coaches, trainers and athletes Chinese language and culture on September 10.

Held in a Lenovo Internet lounge at the Paralympic Village in Beijing, the event included a brief introduction to Confucius and distributed a book on his Analects in both Chinese and English.

"The master said to learn and at due times to repeat what one has learned, is that not after all a pleasure?" they read Confucius' teaching out loud.

"To remain unsoured even though one's merits are unrecognized by others, is that not after all what is expected of a gentleman?"

Confucius was a thinker, political figure, educator and founder of the Confucianist School of Chinese thought.

His Analects, a collection of brief aphorisms, was compiled many years after his death.

"As a Worldwide Olympic Partner of the International Olympic Committee and a partner of the 13th Paralympic Games in Beijing, Lenovo is dedicated to popularizing Olympic ideals and Chinese culture in the international community," said Alice Li, vice-president of Lenovo Group.

"We held a series of events related to Teachers' Day and the Mid-Autumn Festival to promote cultural exchanges. Coaches and trainers are all teachers in our mind and deserve our respect. Wish them a happy Teachers' Day. "

The furnishings for event included a hanging scroll from the Beijing Confucius Temple and a guest book designed like a thread-bound Chinese book.

Long, narrow antique tables were used for practicing Chinese calligraphy, on which the "four treasures" of Chinese calligraphy were placed - the traditional brush, paper, ink and ink-stone, as well as mahogany paperweights and rosewood brush holders.

"It was fun to use a Chinese brush to finish a calligraphy work," said one coach for disabled athletes after he created his first work in Chinese.

"I will share what I have seen and heard in China with my friends. I like Chinese calligraphy and the Analects of Confucius too. I hope to learn more about the Chinese culture. "

In addition to cultural events, Lenovo is providing 240 computers in seven Internet lounges with barrier-free designs at the Paralympic villages in Beijing, Qingdao and Hong Kong as well as at the main press center.

The exclusive computer provider to the Paralympic Games also supplied Braille printers, special keyboards and barrier-free information terminals with text-to-voice technology that reads out words from computer monitors.

Workstations also have the capacity to print conventional Web pages in Braille, adding to the comprehensive design that allows blind athletes to surf on the Internet, check email and chat with relatives and friends.

Technicians and other staff from Lenovo have also been trained with professional skills to assist the disabled, including the use of Braille cards to communicate.

Source: China Daily