Atthisyear鈥檚17thChineseBridgeChineseProficiencyCompetitionforForeignCollegeStudentsinChangsha,HunanProvince,thelevelofMandarinskillwasthehighestsincethecompetition鈥檚inception.OneofthemostpopularperformanceswasthestoryoftheItaliansinologistMatteoRicci(playedbyAustraliancontestantTheodoreJoseph,left)andtheChinesescientistXuGuangqi(playedbyNigeriancontestantAnthonyEkwensi)attheirfirstmeeting.TheskitpresentedthehistoricalencounteroftheirjointtranslationofEuclid鈥檚Elements400yearsago,relivingataleofscientificandculturalexchangesbetweenChinaandtheWest.
PhotographerFranciscoLittle