——专访IMF上海中心主任魏翰泽(Johannes Wiegand)
从华盛顿到上海，从国际货币基金组织（IMF）的会议室到上海街头的葱油饼摊，魏翰泽(Johannes Wiegand)的中文学习之路，听起来像一场跨文化的趣味实验。
这位德国经济学家，现任IMF上海中心主任，在上海已经生活了一段时间。他正在上海的C-Tyme中文机构学习中文。我们和他坐下来聊了聊——为什么学、怎么学、以及那些让他坚持下来的微小瞬间。
“中国让我眼前一亮的不止一件事”
魏翰泽是德国人，住过美国，现在来到上海。当被问及中国给他留下的最深印象时，他没有给出一个标准答案，而是列出了三点：
“这个国家的规模、那种巨大的能量和奋斗精神，还有中国文化的深度和丰富性。”
我原本以为他会说一两点，他给了三点。这让我有点意外，也很开心。
当聊到“文化深度”时，我说，那确实需要慢慢体会。我问他：“所以，这也是你一直学中文的原因之一吗？为了更好地理解中国文化？”
他回答得很诚实：“这是一个原因。还有其他原因，比如想更好地融入上海的生活。”
“AI时代，学中文是浪费时间吗？”
这是一个绕不开的问题。现在的翻译软件越来越聪明，何况作为IMF上海中心主任，他的同事、合作伙伴、甚至日常生活中需要交流的大部分人，大多都能说一口流利的英语。那为什么还要花时间去中文学校学中文？不觉得有点“浪费”吗？
魏翰泽的回答很干脆：融入当地生活。
他说这句话的时候，没有讲大道理。他只是在描述一个事实——当你想真正理解一个地方、和那里的人产生真实的连接，翻译软件的作用是极为有限的。
“那些小而真实的瞬间，让努力变得值得”
我问他，在C-Tyme学中文之后，有没有哪一次让他觉得特别有成就感？比如，别人听懂了他的中文，或者在街头认出了某个汉字。
他想了一下，讲了几个很小的瞬间。小到可能不值一提——但在学语言的人心里，那些瞬间就是全部的答案。
比如，有一次他在茶馆问厕所在哪里，对方听懂了他的中文，虽然回了英语，但那位女士笑了，笑得很开心。又比如，他能在街头认出“人、上、出口、入口”这些字，以及能用中文交流来买一个葱油饼。
“正是这些细小而真实的瞬间，让付出的努力变得值得。”我对他说。他点了点头。
学中文这件事，对魏翰泽来说，从来不是为了取代翻译软件，也不是为了在履历上多写一行字。他的理由更简单，也更朴素：想在上海生活得更好一点。
而那个“更好”，就藏在每一次被人听懂、每一次认出路边招牌、每一次用中文完成一件小事的瞬间里。
从华盛顿到上海，魏翰泽(Johannes Wiegand)的中文故事，还在继续。
关于C-Tyme中文机构
C-Tyme是一家位于上海的专业中文教育机构，致力于为外籍人士提供实用、有趣、个性化的中文学习体验。更多信息请访问我们的官网或关注后续视频内容。
In the Age of AI and an English-Friendly Environment, Do Foreigners Still Need to Learn Chinese?
——An Exclusive Interview with Johannes Wiegand, Head of the IMF Shanghai Center
From Washington to Shanghai. From the conference rooms of the International Monetary Fund(IMF) to a scallion pancake stall on a Shanghai street corner. Johannes Wiegand's journey of learning Chinese feels a bit like a cross-cultural experiment with a twist.
This German economist, now Head of the IMF Shanghai Center, has been living in Shanghai for some time. He is currently learning Chinese at C-Tyme Chinese Institution in Shanghai. We sat down with him to talk about why he's learning Chinese, how he's learning in language school, and those small moments that keep him going.
"China Impressed Me in More Ways Than One"
Johannes is German, has lived in the United States, and has now come to Shanghai. When asked what had impressed him most about China, he didn't give a standard, one-line answer. Instead, he listed three things:
"The sheer size of the country, the tremendous energy and will to live and prosper, and also the depth and richness of its culture."
I had expected one or two points, but he gave me three. It surprised me pleasantly and made me happy.
When we talked about "cultural depth," I said that truly takes time to experience. So I asked him, "Is that one of the reasons you keep learning Chinese? To better understand the culture?"
He answered honestly: "That is one reason. There are others, like wanting to better integrate into life in Shanghai."
"Is Learning Chinese a Waste of Time in the Age of AI?"
This is an unavoidable question. Translation apps are getting smarter by the day. And as Head of the IMF Shanghai Center, most of his colleagues, partners, and even the people he encounters in daily life speak fluent English. So why spend time and energy learning Chinese? Doesn't it feel a bit like a "waste"?
Johannes' answer was direct:To integrate into local life.
He didn't lecture or over-explain. He just described a fact – when you truly want to understand a place and form real connections with the people there, translation apps can only take you so far.
"Those Small, Real Moments Make the Effort Worthwhile"
I asked him if, since starting to learn Chinese, he had ever experienced a moment of real accomplishment – for example, someone understanding his Chinese, or him recognizing some Chinese characters on the street.
He thought for a moment and then shared a few very small moments. Almost too small to mention – but for anyone learning a language, those moments are everything.
For instance, once when he asked for the toilet at a tea house, the person understood his Chinese. She replied in English, but she smiled – a big, genuine smile.For another example, he can recognize characters like "person," "exit," and "entrance" on the street, and he can use Chinese to buy a scallion pancake.
"It's those small, genuine moments that make the effort worthwhile," I said to him. He nodded.
For Johannes, learning Chinese has never been about replacing translation software or adding another line to his resume. His reason is simpler and more down-to-earth:he wants to live a better life in Shanghai.
And that "better" life is hidden in every small moment of being understood, of recognizing a street sign, of getting something done in Chinese – all by himself.
From Washington to Shanghai, Johannes Wiegand's Chinese learning story continues.
About C-Tyme Chinese(mandarin) Institution
C-Tyme is a professional Chinese language institution based in Shanghai, dedicated to providing expats with practical, engaging, and personalized Chinese learning experiences. For more information, please visit our website or follow us for upcoming video content.
