The annual Summer Camp for German Middle School Students held through the joint efforts of Confucius Institute Metropolis Ruhr and Institute of East Asian Studies at University of Duisburg-Essen commenced during the last week of July. A total of more than 40 middle school students from all over Germany participated in the Summer Camp which differed in content from previous years, containing new content. The students were taught Chinese language, Chinese songs and Tai Chi etc. In addition, the Summer Camp also specially organized a brand new Chinese Shaolin Kung Fu performance for the students. A series of Chinese cultural activities enabled the camper students to take a closer look at and experience traditional Chinese culture. It was sucessful in broadening their horizons and was a source of marvel to them.

Many of these German middle school students who had applied to enroll on the Summer Camp on their own accord had never learnt Chinese language before; neither had they had any understanding of Chinese culture. By means of the interesting Chinese language courses; not only did they learn some simple sentences in Chinese, but they also leant to write Chinese characters. Many students began to develop a keen interest in Chinese language and Chinese characters. During the short period of just one week, the volunteer teacher Tang Jingyao taught the students to speak, write and play games by using intensive but interesting methods. The students were brought into a world of Chinese characters and at the end each of them had achieved satisfying performance. A student named Mari Uchima wrote the Chinese characters "Drinking beer and eating sausage"marvelously. Her handwritings were so good and just the same as calligraphy works.

During the Summer Camp, a graceful Tai chi accompaniment could be heard on the University of Duisburg-Essen campus every day. A group of German middle school students following the Professor Ran Xiaoqun from the Confucius Institute practiced the 24 simple movements of Tai chi on the green lawn. Their facial expressions and disunified movements were a proof that each of them was cheerful and relaxed at the same time as being serious and curious about the task at hand.

A German teacher named Kai Hoffmann (Chinese name: Shi Yangui) was employed by the Confucius Institute, who once studied at the Shaolin Temple in Henan Province, China for three years. He has participated in many local and national Chinese martial arts competitions in China and made great achievements. During the Summer Camp, he came from Essen in a rainy day together with a Chinese martial arts team consisting of more than 20 members and offered a performance for the campers. Team members were of varying ages: the youngest was 6 years old and the oldest was more than 50 years old, many of whom were women and children. All of the performers took pride in having the opportunity to perform their Chinese Kung Fu at a university. They demonstrated great passion inspite of the inclement weather. They were skilled Kung Fu performers overcoming difficulties posed by the wet floor. Their roaring drowned out the sound of rain and winds. The fearless momentum and exquisite skills appealed to the campers and audience, making them forget about the rain and being wet. It was quite a moving scene.

The Summer Camp which lasted for one week was held with the aim of enabling German middle school students to take a closer look at and understand Chinese culture, guide their interest in learning Chinese language and culture, and make decisions about directions for their future development. This Summer Camp has achieved the desired effect and many campers expressed their intention to take up a Chinese language course when they study at a university in the near future.