Recently, the results of the “Perceiving China: 2025 Annual Figures Selection” were announced. Sofia, a Russian master’s student at Anshan Normal University, was awarded the title of “Star of Narrating China Through Art.” Among 20 international students studying in China who received this award, Sofia is the only awardee from a university in Liaoning.

Sofia has a deep interest in Chinese history and culture and excels at narrating Chinese stories through her paintings. This serene and talented young woman often uses carbon pens to document her experiences during her studies in China, portraying the beautiful Liaoning as she perceives it. Her award-winning work, The Eldest Son of the Republic, is a vivid embodiment of her observations and reflections on Liaoning’s culture.

In her spare time, Sofia immerses herself in painting, skillfully integrating the natural scenery and cultural landscapes of Liaoning into her artworks. Throughout the creation of The Eldest Son of the Republic, she continuously contemplated the cultural essence of this land. At first, her inspiration came from visual elements such as Liaoning’s mountains, rivers, and architecture. As her creation deepened, she gradually realized that culture lies not only in external forms but also in the spirit of its people.

To Sofia, the culture of Liaoning is embodied, first and foremost, in its people. She envisions the people in Northeast China as a kind, big-hearted elder—gentle and resilient, having weathered life’s storms with composure and strength. “In Liaoning, I’ve met so many people like this. Their warmth, simplicity, and sincerity have deeply moved me. My work does not depict a specific individual but aims to create a symbolic figure that conveys the unique cultural spirit of this land in my eyes,” she said.

Sofia said, “As an international student, I wish to use my drawing pen to depict the China I have come to know and to tell China’s history and development through visual language. This experience has brought me closer to China, and I am eager to serve as an ‘envoy’ for cultural exchange.”

Painting has become Sofia’s unique way of perceiving China, and she hopes to introduce more people to Liaoning Province and China through her paintings.