The calm, slow, penetrating sound of the guzheng, a stringed musical instrument also known as the Chinese zither, has connected young hearts from both home and abroad with its refined tones that date back 2,500 years.

It was not only the ancient whisper of the guzheng, but also the enduring arts and customs of paper cutting, tea ceremony and the game of Go, that inspired foreign students to explore and decipher the long-inherited classical culture of ancient China at the first Cross-Straits Chinese Studies Forum in Pingtan, Fujian province.

Opening on April 23, the three-day event drew more than 200 enthusiasts from across the world to exchange views and experience live displays and demonstrations of Chinese culture and art.

"While playing the Chinese zither, I become tranquil the first time it starts to sound. It is a completely different experience from playing guitar," said Shaki, an Uzbekistani student now studying at Fujian Normal University.

Lin Wenyao, director of the management committee of the Pingtan Comprehensive Pilot Zone, spoke at the opening ceremony, saying that the forum was held to foster closer cultural bonds across the Straits by establishing platforms for Chinese studies and the development and promotion of Chinese culture in the mainland and in Taiwan.