By Jun Ji-hye
On the final day of his state visit to Korea last week, Chinese President Xi Jinping presented President Park Geun-hye with a scroll bearing the image of ancient Chinese general Zhao Yun, Cheong Wa Dae said Sunday.
In her 2007 autobiography, Park referred to the historical figure as her "first love."
Xi gave Park the three-meter scroll during a special luncheon on Friday along with a CD of songs by his wife, former contemporary folk singer and performing artist Peng Liyuan, and a piece of handicraft shaped like the rose of Sharon, Korea's national flower.
Zhao Yun is a central character in "Romance of the Three Kingdoms," a classic Chinese historical saga dealing with the power struggles of ancient Chinese warlords. In the book, the general embodies loyalty.
Park's autobiography, titled "Despair Trains Me and Hope Moves Me," was translated into Chinese and the Chinese version was published in April 2013. Of the 400,000 books published in China that year, Park's was identified as one of the top 25.
"Park was the first foreign leader whose book [made that list]," said presidential spokesman Min Kyung-wook.
"Park has frequently mentioned the general," said an official from the presidential office, adding that the gift seemed to have been Xi's idea.
During Park's state visit to Beijing in June 2013, Xi took her to see an opera based on the life of Zhao Yun. Chinese media reports from that time mentioned Park's proficiency in Chinese (she speaks fluent Mandarin) and her interest in Chinese history and philosophy.
The reports also stated that Park soothed her mind by reading the Analects of Confucius and other classic Chinese works after her father, the late President Park Chung-hee, who was assassinated by his intelligence chief in 1979.
Xi and first lady Peng visited Seoul on Thursday for a two-day tour, during which Xi and Park promised to increase cooperation between the two countries on security and business.
Xi is the first Chinese leader to visit Seoul before Pyongyang.
Follow Jun Ji-hye on Twitter @TheKopJihye
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| The scroll picture of Zhao Yun that Chinese President Xi Jinping gave to President Park Geun-hye. Park said the general was her "first love." / Courtesy of Cheong Wa Dae |
In her 2007 autobiography, Park referred to the historical figure as her "first love."
Xi gave Park the three-meter scroll during a special luncheon on Friday along with a CD of songs by his wife, former contemporary folk singer and performing artist Peng Liyuan, and a piece of handicraft shaped like the rose of Sharon, Korea's national flower.
Zhao Yun is a central character in "Romance of the Three Kingdoms," a classic Chinese historical saga dealing with the power struggles of ancient Chinese warlords. In the book, the general embodies loyalty.
Park's autobiography, titled "Despair Trains Me and Hope Moves Me," was translated into Chinese and the Chinese version was published in April 2013. Of the 400,000 books published in China that year, Park's was identified as one of the top 25.
"Park was the first foreign leader whose book [made that list]," said presidential spokesman Min Kyung-wook.
"Park has frequently mentioned the general," said an official from the presidential office, adding that the gift seemed to have been Xi's idea.
During Park's state visit to Beijing in June 2013, Xi took her to see an opera based on the life of Zhao Yun. Chinese media reports from that time mentioned Park's proficiency in Chinese (she speaks fluent Mandarin) and her interest in Chinese history and philosophy.
The reports also stated that Park soothed her mind by reading the Analects of Confucius and other classic Chinese works after her father, the late President Park Chung-hee, who was assassinated by his intelligence chief in 1979.
Xi and first lady Peng visited Seoul on Thursday for a two-day tour, during which Xi and Park promised to increase cooperation between the two countries on security and business.
Xi is the first Chinese leader to visit Seoul before Pyongyang.
Follow Jun Ji-hye on Twitter @TheKopJihye
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