Boyan, a Han culture association in Paris, has dedicated over a decade to promoting Chinese culture in France, yet it still faces challenges due to

There is a story about experience from seafood restaurant to UNESCO.

Zhong, originally from Sichuan, came to France for a dual master’s program and later completed her PhD, ultimately staying to work. While in France, she discovered a passion for Hanfu and met a group of like-minded friends who shared her love for traditional Chinese culture at a student gathering.

“The origins of Boyan date back to 2008 when it was just a small online group of a few dozen people,” Zhong recalled. “By 2014, as I was finishing my PhD, I decided to officially register it as an association.” According to Zhong, the membership quickly grew to over 100 in the first year, and the expansion has continued rapidly since then.

Built on the foundation of Hanfu, Boyan has grown into France's largest Han culture association over the past decade. It is organized into seven divisions, encompassing traditional music, chess, painting, tea, and incense ceremonies.

The dance troupe is part of the Music Division, where all members can learn Chinese classical dance in Hanfu, with the most skilled dancers joining the performance team for events and commercial shows. These performances not only enhance the association’s visibility but also generate essential funds, though often just enough to get by.

In addition to large commercial venues like Carrefour, Boyan has performed throughout Paris. “Once, we were set to dance in a seafood restaurant, but the area by the fish tank was too small, so we ended up performing on the sidewalk outside,” Xie said.

With each event, Boyan has steadily grown, especially after the pandemic, receiving collaboration invitations from the government, businesses, and other organizations.

During the Paris Olympics, major Chinese brands like Yili, Mengniu, and Chagee invited Boyan to participate in their events. Last year, the association was the only group invited to present a Hanfu fashion show at United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), headlining the 35th anniversary of the Silk Roads programme..

This year, to mark the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and France, Boyan gifted Jérôme Coumet, the mayor of Paris’s 13th arrondissement, a custom silk Hanfu in the red, white, and blue of the French flag, thanking him for his ongoing support of the Chinese community. 

Zhong said Coumet really liked this Hanfu, “He wore the Hanfu to many events and later even submitted it to a newspaper.  It unexpectedly became one of the ‘100 significant items’ commemorating the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and France.”

Zhong has experienced many such proud moments, but she knows it’s the relentless perseverance during the quieter, even more challenging times that truly fuels Boyan’s success.