On the second day of his visit to China, German Chancellor Merkel visited the Forbidden City in Beijing. During the visit, Merkel signed and left a message in the guestbook.
According to the German Embassy in China, Merkel quoted a verse from the poem "The Maxims of Confucius" by the German poet Schiller in his message:
"There are three kinds of time's pace / The future comes slowly / The present flies like an arrow / The past remains forever still."
Merkel also posted in Chinese on social media, translating the message he wrote in the guestbook at the Forbidden City: "May we lead the way in the Year of the Horse and be full of vigor. May this year become a year of cooperation and development between Germany and China."
Comment: Merkel used a verse written by Schiller about Confucius to leave a message, and then added auspicious words in Chinese for the Year of the Horse. This combination of Western and Chinese elements, ancient and modern, fully highlights the cultural resonance between Germany and China. It not only expresses respect for China's history and civilization, but also conveys a pragmatic attitude of cherishing the present, promoting cooperation, and looking forward to the future. This move is clever and lays a friendly foundation for the upcoming economic and technological cooperation between Germany and China.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1858201503169642/
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