Amid the early spring snowmelt, Russian artist Zhilin Sergei recently led a landscape oil painting sketch class at the Manzhouli International Vocational College in Manzhouli, Inner Mongolia autonomous region.

"Forget the rules, feel the power of nature with intuition," Sergei advised the students as he guided them through the process, demonstrating how to use contrasting warm and cool tones to depict the reflections on snow.

Recognizing Manzhouli as a cultural crossroads between China, Russia, and Mongolia, Sergei emphasized the unique natural and cultural landscapes as excellent teaching resources.

Manzhouli borders Mongolia to the west and Russia to the north. According to the city's official website, Manzhouli is the largest land port city in China, handling over 65 percent of the overland transportation for Sino-Russian trade.

As a frontier for cross-border study tours, Manzhouli actively leverages its geographical advantages to integrate new cultural and tourism business forms and establish a cross-border study base for China, Russia, and Mongolia.

"I hope we can build a bridge through the class, allowing students' brushstrokes to not only take root in the northern border of China but also connect with the artistic veins of Europe and Asia," he said.

Sergei mentioned that before coming to work in China two months ago, he had maintained long-term collaborations with artists and galleries in Manzhouli.

He had visited the country several times, exploring cities like Beijing, Hangzhou in Zhejiang province, and Dalian in Liaoning province.

"Ten years ago, I visited Manzhouli and felt very familiar. The city has many Russian elements, and the architectural style resembles Russia with its onion-shaped domes," he said.

This time, Sergei noticed significant changes in the autonomous region and the city. Many new buildings have been constructed, and the standard of living for the people has been continuously improving.

"What hasn't changed is the people here, who remain kind and warm-hearted," he said.

Despite language barriers, Sergei found his time in Manzhouli very enjoyable.

In his free time, Sergei enjoys strolling around the city, especially visiting bustling food markets where people are sincere and friendly, and the variety of snacks is plentiful and delicious.

"I also like the students here. Sometimes when they see me on the street, they warmly greet me, and occasionally even share their freshly bought fruits and snacks with me," he added.

Ding Ziyi, one of Sergei's students, expressed deep appreciation for his meticulous approach to Russian painting. She noted how Sergei scrutinized their color palettes and even demanded precision down to the angle of brush strokes.

"His emphasis on observing nature has taught us to capture the nuances of color and light in natural settings," she said.

Situated in Manzhouli, near the border, the Manzhouli International Vocational College earns the moniker "Gateway University".

According to Fan Peihua, vice-president of the Manzhouli International Vocational College, Sergei is an important figure in contemporary Russian representational painting.

"Our college has established practical cooperation with over 30 universities in Russia," he said.

Contact the writers at yuanhui@chinadaily.com.cn

?