With the Dragon Boat Festival—a traditional Chinese festival—fast approaching, and in order to promote China’s outstanding traditional culture and enrich campus cultural life, the School of International Education organised a group of international student representatives to take part in a traditional Dragon Boat Festival craft workshop hosted by the Logistics Department. The event, themed ‘Wrap a Green Zongzi, Convey a Thread of Deep Affection’, allowed participants to experience the unique charm of this traditional Chinese festival together.
Tracing Cultural Roots: Telling China’s Stories
At the start of the event, the venue was filled with the subtle, refreshing scent of bamboo leaves, creating a warm and lively atmosphere. To help international students gain a deeper understanding of the cultural significance of the Dragon Boat Festival, a special cultural presentation was arranged. Using vivid and accessible language, accompanied by illustrated display boards, the host provided a systematic explanation of the origins and evolution of the Dragon Boat Festival, as well as traditional customs such as eating zongzi, dragon boat racing, hanging mugwort and wearing scented sachets.
Hands-on Experience: Conveying Heartfelt Sentiments Through Bamboo Leaves and Glutinous Rice
Following the session on traditional culture, the event moved on to its most eagerly anticipated part: the hands-on zongzi-making session.
‘First, overlap two bamboo leaves and fold them into a funnel shape, making sure there are no gaps at the bottom…’ The canteen chefs demonstrated the process whilst patiently explaining the key points of each step. The international students present were eager to give it a go and quickly picked up the bamboo leaves to start learning. They helped one another and exchanged tips, filling the room with constant laughter and cheerful chatter. After several attempts, every student successfully wrapped their own ‘perfect zongzi’, earning unanimous praise from the chefs present.
Looking at the fruits of their labor, the international students’ faces beamed with pride and joy. SAMIR and THAPA, international students from Nepal, remarked that glutinous rice and red dates are ingredients commonly used in their home country, where they also play an important role in many festivals. Today, everyone gained an appreciation for how the same ingredients can be used to create different dishes, which proved a valuable experience for the international students. They said that upon returning home, they would certainly recreate the zongzi for their families to enjoy.
In addition, each international student received a commemorative certificate for the event and a gift steeped in the traditions of the Dragon Boat Festival—a scented pouch—in recognition of their active participation in experiencing and promoting traditional Chinese culture.
This zongzi-making event not only enabled international students to learn a traditional Chinese craft through hands-on practice, but also allowed them to genuinely experience the warmth and charm of traditional Chinese culture through an immersive experience. These small zongzi contain more than just glutinous rice and red dates; they also embody the university’s care and affection for its students. The subtle fragrance of the zongzi bridges not only the gap between teachers and students, but also fosters exchange and mutual learning between the cultures of different nations. In the future, SIE will continue to uphold the philosophy of ‘education as the foundation, culture as the bridge’, actively organizing international students to participate in more practical teaching activities that are both educational and culturally enriching. With a more open attitude and innovative approaches, we will guide international students to gain a deeper understanding of the essence of Chinese culture and appreciate its charm, helping them to grow into individuals who are not only proficient in their specialist knowledge but also imbued with a humanistic spirit—people who understand, befriend and love China. SIE will remain committed to building bridges for mutual learning between Chinese and foreign civilizations, planting the seeds of peace, development and mutual benefit deep within the hearts of our international students, and pooling the energy of youth to jointly build a community with a shared future for mankind.
