An Azerbaijani teen found his dream in China

On a crisp October day in 2025, Eldar Ravanov, a 17-year-old Azerbaijani freshman studying electronic information engineering at the University of Science and Technology of China, in Hefei, Anhui province, returned to Tianjin — the city that had shaped his dreams and marked the beginning of his journey in China.

Known by his Chinese name, He Yan, Eldar reflected on how his time in this city marked the start of his transformation. "I only spent a year at Tianjin University studying Chinese, but this place will always be my alma mater. It's where I first connected with China," he said.

A fiery name

The name He Yan, given to Eldar by his Mandarin teacher at the Confucius Institute back in Azerbaijan, carries deep symbolism. The character "Yan (炎)" means "fire," representing energy and vitality. "My teacher said I learn quickly, and my eyes seem to have a certain spark," Eldar recalled with a laugh.

Born in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, in 2008, Eldar grew up in a city where the winds off the Caspian Sea stirred dreams of distant horizons. His upbringing was steeped in cross-cultural influences: his mother, a journalist, taught him the power of storytelling, and his father, an international oil trader, inspired him with a pragmatic global perspective.

In 2022, during his first year of high school, Eldar's father encouraged him to learn Chinese. "Azerbaijan was one of the first countries to actively support the Belt and Road Initiative. Over the years, our trade with China has grown, and my father believed that the future would bring even closer cooperation," Eldar recalled.

Then, a pivotal moment came in 2023 when Eldar participated in the "Chinese Bridge" language competition in Azerbaijan. He won third place and secured a place on a transformative two-week summer camp in China. It was this trip to China that ignited his passion for Chinese history and culture.

A storyteller is born

In September 2024, 16-year-old Eldar arrived in Tianjin alone, to begin his studies at Tianjin University, becoming the youngest international student on campus. The year-long language program not only enabled him to improve his Mandarin, but also to immerse himself in cultural activities.

He quickly became a familiar face in the university's cultural scene. He hosted New Year galas and cultural festivals, performed in the "Chinese Bridge" dubbing show and prepared speeches for competitions. By the end of the year, he had earned a reputation as "the foreign student who tells the best China stories."

Writing a new chapter

In September 2025, Eldar began his undergraduate studies at the University of Science and Technology of China. For him, combining language with technical expertise is essential. "I want to connect what I learn with real-world challenges," he explained.

He envisages a future in which his engineering studies will connect Azerbaijan's oil and gas resources, the wind power of the Caspian Sea, and China's manufacturing and technological expertise. "Through algorithms and circuits, I hope to connect these worlds," he said.

In Azerbaijani culture, fire symbolizes the land. In Chinese, He Yan represents rising flames. Together, these symbols reflect who he is: Eldar Ravanov from the shores of the Caspian Sea and He Yan, a student of Chinese language and culture. "I hope to use Chinese to tell stories," he said. "And I want to use technology to solve real problems."

Eldar's story is one of transformation — a boy from the shores of the Caspian Sea who once struggled to learn Mandarin, has grown into a confident young man who is fluent enough to share China's stories with the world. His journey from Baku to Tianjin, and now Hefei, is a story of dreams, resilience and an enduring flame that continues to burn brightly.

Source: Science and Technology Daily