草榴短视频

鈥淚 would like to become a university teacher and I鈥檓 sure I can do it鈥�, 鈥� Zhuang Zhihan about graduate school, participating in conferences and life in Russia.

Zhuang Zhihan is studying technical aesthetics and design at the Institute of Design and Art of 草榴短视频. In the future he wants to teach graphic design and that is why he came to Russia to expand his horizons. Zhihan told us about his academic activities and studies, as well as the difficulties of living in a country with a different language.

Why did you decide to study in Russia?

- Russia has very interesting art and culture. They are not like China, America or Europe. I like Russian culture. IThe most interesting things are constructivism and suprematism, the works of Alexander Pushkin and Vladimir Tatlin. I also like the art of the Soviet Union, its history and design, posters and architectural works.

How did you choose your field of study?

- I entered the undergraduate program in communication design at Northeastern Normal University in Changchun, China. After two years of study, through a student exchange program, I went to Kemerovo State Institute of Culture, Russia. Then I entered the master's program at SPbPU, where I also studied communicative design. But I could not find a similar post-graduate course in almost any university in St. Petersburg. My friends who already studied at our university recommended me to enter St. Petersburg State University of Design and Technology, because the education here is high-quality and good. That's how I chose my place of study.

How did you decide to change your major from being more practical and applied design to studying art theory and history?

- Painting and design are quite similar. I went to art school in China as a child, where I studied painting. And I think the practical skills of design should be reinforced with knowledge of history and theory.

What do you study as part of your academic work?

- I'm interested in the history and culture of the Chinese logo. Before the 19th century, China didn't have signs and logos as we know them today. They emerged later as a response to the demands of business and, in general, for life. Through the history of logo development we can trace the development of Chinese politics, economy, culture and thought. China has a long history and it's fascinating to me to observe how Chinese culture is reflected in the design of its logos.

Why did you choose the subject of Chinese logos for your thesis?

- I chose to study Chinese logos because it is an unpopular subject. In Russia and Europe, there are a lot of studies on the history and culture of the logos of these countries, but I did not find any similar work in China. I want to show the public Chinese culture through the history of logo changes. It is very interesting.

What events, conferences or professional exhibitions have you participated in?

- One of my recent and most memorable events was the Eurasia Science International Practical Conference where Asian and European culture and art were discussed. At that conference I made a presentation on Chinese calligraphy.

What does the process of writing a research paper look like for an international student?

- I get a lot of help from my supervisor Mikhail Balashov. The articles I publish are in Russian. But I do not speak Russian very well, so I use a translator, and I formulate the original text in Chinese or English. Then I show my work to Mikhail Evgenievich, and we work together to improve it. I have already published articles in the ASU Bulletin and other journals indexed by the Higher Attestation Commission.

How did the stage of socialization and language study in another country pass?

- In China I studied Russian for two years. So I came to Russia with knowledge of the alphabet and some words. It was enough for solving simple everyday questions, for example, when going to the store I could say that I needed "apples" or "potatoes". At first it was hard to study, I often had to speak in Russian. The teachers didn't understand me very well and all the classes were taught in Russian. But my classmates and many of the teachers helped me a lot, supported me and gave me advice, saying that I should not be afraid and should practice a lot. By the second year of my life in Russia, I was already able to speak Russian quite fluently.

Is the education system in China different from that in Russia?

- It seems to me that it does. In Russia, many tasks have to be done individually, but in China teamwork is more common. In China there is also a supervisor assigned to each student who helps him or her to adapt to the university, answers all questions and generally instructs him or her. The academic workload in Russia is less, I have enough free time for other activities and leisure.

But, in general, the educational process is quite similar - the same lectures and practical classes. Both in Russia and China I can go up to a teacher and talk to him and ask for advice. I think the style of teaching depends not so much on the country, but on the teacher himself.

I liked studying in Russia more because, among other things, I learned another language. I think it is very important for an art history specialist to know several languages and cultures of several countries. When I come back to China, I will be more versatile and have a wider range of knowledge.

What advice would you give to other international students?

- Learn Russian, speak it a lot, practice it. Talk a lot to your supervisor, communicate with your classmates. It also helps me to read books, because if you don't read books, you don't broaden your horizons. Without the love of reading, I wouldn't be able to write articles and give speeches. But the main advice is don't be afraid to express yourself and don't be afraid to speak a different language.