Volgograd stands on the great Volga River, and Qujing is surrounded by an entire system of rivers connected to the Pearl River.

Students from Qujing, in Yunnan Province of China, invite you to learn as much as possible about their favorite rivers.

"Our river is the main heroine!" proclaim more than 20 male and female students from Qujing universities. They all prepared colorful and informative presentations about the natural beauty of their native land.

The first of these is presented by Chen Ruoyong from the Yunnan College of Industrial and Information Technology.

Flip through the slides and read the story – "The Source of the Pearl River: A Millennium of Pottery Charm."

Hello everyone. Today I will take you on a journey across mountains and seas to trace our origins. We will travel upstream to where the story begins — Qujing. We will explore the natural beauty, the historical footprints, and the rich local culture behind the clear spring at the source of the Pearl River.

The thousand-mile Pearl River starts with a clear spring flowing from a cave on the eastern side of Maxiong Mountain. This is no ordinary mountain, but a wonderful work of nature. The spring may seem small, but it gathers into streams, then rivers, and finally becomes the second-largest river in China by water volume and the third-longest in length.

This natural wonder has attracted many people, including the great geographer Xu Xiake more than 300 years ago. With strong determination, he began a great journey to find the source of the Pearl River. His spirit of exploration has guided people ever since.

Following a tributary of the Nanpan River, we arrive at the ancient town of Laohu. It is a town that grew up alongside the river and became famous for its pottery.

The combination of Laohu pottery and Cuan culture has made this land even more historically meaningful. Last year, I was honored to work as a volunteer in a series of Yunnan cultural events for building the common spiritual home of the Chinese nation.

There I learned and promoted Qujing's Cuan culture. This is a photo from the event. It was a very meaningful experience, and it deepened my understanding of Cuan culture.

From the clear spring on Maxiong Mountain, to Xu Xiake's brave exploration, to the Cuan culture of the ancient riverside town, our journey is coming to an end. But the story of our rivers will never end. The Pearl River, which starts in Qujing, has not only created amazing natural scenery, but also connected a deep historical heritage and lively human stories.

It tells us that every river has its source, and every culture has its roots.

Thank you for listening!