萨沙：中国书法让我找到“心之所向”

“我想成为传播中国书法艺术的使者。”

——萨沙

“I want to become an envoy for spreading the art of Chinese calligraphy.”

——Sasha

老外名片

Profile of Changsha Expats

Sasha，俄罗斯人

中文名：萨沙

在长时间：一年半

Sasha, Russian

Chinese name: Sa Sha

Residence duration in Changsha: One year and a half

冬日的午后，阳光斜照进窗。

On an afternoon in winter, the sunlight shines through the window.

离蛇年春节只剩不到一周的时间。书法家曹隽平在自己位于湖南省文化馆的工作室内，同自己的“洋徒弟”萨沙一道专注地写着春联。横竖撇捺、提按转折，师徒二人默契十足。

There are less than a week left until the Spring Festival of the Year of the Snake. Cao Junping, a calligrapher, is intently writing Spring Festival couplets together with his "foreign apprentice" Sasha in his studio at the Hunan Cultural Center. With every horizontal, vertical, left - falling, and right - falling stroke, as well as every lift, press, turn, and transition, the master - apprentice pair show great tacit understanding.

金发碧眼的萨沙是位俄罗斯姑娘，也是曹隽平唯一的“洋徒弟”。她喜欢汉字、热爱中国文化，写起书法来，姿势之标准，神情之专注，笔画之工整令人惊叹。

Sasha, a Russian girl with blond hair and blue eyes, is Cao Junping's only "foreign apprentice". She loves Chinese characters and Chinese culture. When she writes calligraphy, her standard posture, focused expression, and neat strokes are astonishing.

2025年春运第一天，萨沙和她的师兄弟们一道前往长沙南站、爱晚亭等地送春联，她的作品受到众多市民游客的点赞。

On the first day of the 2025 Spring Festival travel rush, Sasha, along with her fellow apprentices, went to places such as Changsha South Railway Station and Aiwan Pavilion to give away Spring Festival couplets. Her works were highly praised by many citizens and tourists.

“很高兴我的字能被大家喜欢，这让我有了前进的动力。”萨沙微笑着说，她表示将继续留在长沙精进书法技艺，争取成为一名传播中国书法艺术的使者。

"I'm very glad that people like my calligraphy. It gives me the motivation to move forward," Sasha smiles. She says that she will continue to stay in Changsha to refine her calligraphy skills and strive to become an envoy for spreading the art of Chinese calligraphy.

书法家的首个“洋徒弟”

First "foreign apprentice" of calligrapher

萨沙出生在中俄边境的村庄，从小受艺术家父亲的影响，对中国的人文历史十分喜爱。在中国生活的这些年，让她对中俄文化有了更深刻的体会，也对中国文化产生了更浓厚的兴趣。

Sasha was born in a village near the China - Russia border. Influenced by her artist father from a young age, she has a deep affection for Chinese culture and history. Her years of living in China have given her a more profound understanding of Chinese and Russian cultures, making her have a stronger interest in Chinese culture.

2023年8月，萨沙作为艺术人才被引进到湖南长沙。一次偶然的机会，她认识了湖南省文化馆副馆长，书法家曹隽平。被曹老师的作品所吸引，萨沙产生了学书法的念头。同年10月，萨沙正式拜曹隽平为师，还举行了中国传统的拜师仪式。

In August 2023, Sasha was introduced to Changsha, Hunan Province as an artistic talent. By chance, she met Cao Junping, the deputy director of the Hunan Cultural Center and a calligrapher. Fascinated by Teacher Cao's works, Sasha had the idea of learning calligraphy. In October of the same year, Sasha formally became Cao Junping's apprentice with a traditional Chinese apprenticeship ceremony.

“我在中国认识的其他外国朋友，都很喜欢中国书法，他们也在练习。”萨沙说。

"Other foreign friends I've met in China all like Chinese calligraphy and they are also practicing it," Sasha says.

说到收萨沙为徒，曹隽平表示，是萨沙的诚心打动了他，“看得出来她是真的喜欢中国文化，想要学习书法，所以就顺理成章了。”

When it comes to accepting Sasha as an apprentice, Cao Junping says that it was Sasha's sincerity that touched him. "She really loves Chinese culture and wants to learn calligraphy, so it just happened naturally."

30年来教过两万余名学生的曹隽平，在教学上向来主张“有教无类”“因材施教”。他为“洋徒弟”萨沙量身定制了一套教学方法，让她学习相对容易入门的隶书，从“福”和十二生肖的写法入手，并在创作中充分发挥自己的特色。

Cao Junping, who has taught more than 20,000 students in over 30 years, has always advocated the educational concepts of "teaching without discrimination" and "teaching students in accordance with their aptitudes". He tailored a set of teaching methods for his "foreign apprentice" Sasha, guiding her to learn the official script, which is relatively easy to learn. She began by learning how to write the character "fu" (meaning fortune) and the Chinese zodiac animals, and was encouraged to fully demonstrate her own characteristics in her creations.

经过一年的练习，萨沙已经可以做到“下笔如有神”：铺纸、沾墨、落笔，一气呵成。

After a year of practice, Sasha can now write with great ease: laying the paper, dipping the brush in ink, and starting to write, all in one smooth motion.

“接下来，计划让她学写更难的诗词、短句。”曹隽平笑着说，“我不仅教她书法，还教她炒菜。烹饪和书法都是中国传统文化的重要组成部分。萨沙很聪明，这些都能做得很好。”

"Next, I plan to teach her to write more difficult poems and short sentences," Cao Junping says with a smile. "I not only teach her calligraphy but also how to cook. Both cooking and calligraphy are important parts of traditional Chinese culture. Sasha is very smart and can do well in both."

谈及未来，曹隽平希望将自己的“洋徒弟”培养为 “一带一路”共建国家里书法艺术的传播者 ，为提升中国书法、中国文化在国际上的影响助力。

When talking about the future, Cao Junping hopes to cultivate his "foreign apprentice" into a disseminator of calligraphy art in the countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative, contributing to enhancing the international influence of Chinese calligraphy and Chinese culture.

把中国文化带回“家”

Bringing Chinese culture "back home"

从中国文化爱好者到成为“洋徒弟”，萨沙表示这个过程“非常神奇”，她的生活也因学习书法有了切实的改变。

From a Chinese culture enthusiast to a "foreign apprentice" of calligrapher, Sasha thinks this process is "truly magical", and her life has also undergone tangible changes due to learning calligraphy.

“学中文对我来说变得容易多了，因为我已经知道字怎么写。”现在，每当萨沙漫步长沙街头，便能在随处可见的路标、指示牌上认出很多她写过的汉字，这也强化了她对中文词组的理解。

"Learning Chinese has become much easier for me because I already know how to write the characters." Now, whenever Sasha strolls along the streets in Changsha, she can recognize many of the Chinese characters she has written on the ubiquitous road signs and signboards. This has also enhanced her understanding of Chinese phrases.

让她惊喜的，是书法对修身养性的巨大作用。“当我写字的时候，感觉就像在冥想。这个过程让我完全放松，变得专注。”萨沙说，练书法还有助于提升记忆力，这让她觉得不可思议。

To her pleasant surprise, calligraphy has a great effect on self - cultivation. "When I'm writing, it feels like I'm meditating. This process makes me completely relaxed and focused," Sasha says. She finds it incredible that practicing calligraphy also helps improve her memory.

除了书法，中国的秧歌舞、茶艺表演也让萨沙印象深刻，她表示，未来会体验更多中国传统文化，参加更多民俗活动。

Besides calligraphy, Chinese Yangko (a rural Chinese folk dance) and tea ceremony have also left a deep impression on Sasha. In the future, she will experience more of traditional Chinese culture and participate in more folk activities.

马上，萨沙就会回到俄罗斯和亲友欢度首个“非遗版”春节。“我的父母、朋友都知道我在中国学书法，我会将笔墨纸砚带回家，教他们写毛笔字，相信他们一定也会被中国书法‘圈粉’的！”

Soon, Sasha will return to Russia to celebrate the first Spring Festival of intangible cultural heritage with her family and friends. "My parents and friends all know that I'm learning calligraphy in China. I'll take the writing brush, ink stick, paper, and inkstone back home and teach them how to write Chinese characters with a brush. They will surely be fascinated by Chinese calligraphy!"

“每年春节，都会有不少俄罗斯游客来中国，与中国人一道迎新年。”萨沙说，欢乐团圆的中国春节正在为越来越多的俄罗斯人所熟知，这个春节，她将把在中国发生的有趣故事告诉家乡的亲朋好友，让他们像她一样了解并爱上中国文化。

"Every Spring Festival, quite a few Russian tourists come to China to welcome the New Year with the Chinese people," Sasha says. The joyous and reunion - oriented Chinese Spring Festival is becoming increasingly well - known among Russians. This Spring Festival, she will tell her family and friends back home the interesting stories that happened to her in China, letting them understand and fall in love with Chinese culture just like she did.

长沙与书法都是“心之所向”

Both Changsha and calligraphy are “what she wants”

“我去过中国很多城市，但长沙最特别。这里的人们都很松弛、很友善，对我这个外国人很关照。”虽然对中国有着天然的亲切感，但文化的差异还是会让萨沙在日常生活中遇到一些挑战。可每当遇到困难，总会有热心的长沙市民主动伸出援手，这让她特别感动。

"I've been to many cities in China, but Changsha is the most special. People here are so laid - back and friendly. They take good care of me as a foreigner." Although she has a natural affinity for China, cultural differences still pose some challenges to Sasha in her daily life. However, whenever she encounters difficulties, warm - hearted Changsha citizens are always ready to offer a helping hand, which deeply touches her.

在长沙的这一年，萨沙逐渐爱上了这座开放包容的城市，也一点点融入了这里的生活。“之前我一点辣都吃不了，但现在我可以了，也许过段时间，我会变成‘辣不怕’！”提及中俄饮食文化差异，萨沙直呼“不是问题”，她现在非常习惯湖南口味，甚至练就了几个拿手菜。

During this year in Changsha, Sasha has gradually fallen in love with this open and inclusive city and has also integrated into the local life. "I couldn't eat spicy food at all before, but now I can. Maybe after a while, I can eat very spicy food!" When referring to the differences in food culture between China and Russia, Sasha exclaims that it's "not a problem". She is now very accustomed to Hunan cuisine and has even mastered several dishes.

地道的美食、便捷的交通、宜人的天气、热情的人们……这些都是萨沙喜爱长沙的理由。她计划在不久的将来带父母打卡长沙，感受星城的活力与烟火气的同时，一并“试笔”。

Authentic delicacies, convenient transportation, pleasant weather, and warm - hearted people... These are all the reasons why Sasha loves Changsha. She plans to bring her parents to visit Changsha in the near future, taking them to experience the vitality and the hustle - and - bustle of this city, and to try calligraphy at the same time.

“我会留在长沙，继续在这里工作、生活。”萨沙表示，未来会参与更多与中国传统文化相关的工作，在她喜爱的领域深入发展。

"I'll continue to work and live in Changsha." Sasha says that in the future, she will participate in more work related to traditional Chinese culture and develop deeply in the field she loves.

听到老师曹隽平对她“成为传播书法艺术使者”的期待，萨沙有些羞涩，但眼神坚定，“这是个艰巨的任务，但却是我的‘心之所向’。熟能生巧，我会为之努力。”

Hearing her teacher Cao Junping's expectation of cultivating her into "an envoy for spreading the art of calligraphy", Sasha is a bit shy, but her eyes are firm. "It's a challenging task, but it's where my heart longs to be. Practice makes perfect, and I'll work hard for it."