To promote traditional Chinese culture and allow international students to experience the unique charm and profound cultural heritage of the Dragon Boat Festival up close, the College of International Education organized a Dragon Boat Festival cultural experience activity on the afternoon of June 2. International students from different countries gathered together to immerse themselves in Dragon Boat Festival customs through various activities—tasting festival flavors, making traditional handicrafts, and designing creative cultural products—discovering Chinese romance amid laughter and joy, and appreciating the unique appeal of traditional Chinese culture.
(Photo: International student showcasing a creatively designed zongzi illustration)
Tasting Dragon Boat Festival Delicacies: Discovering Ancient Chinese Charm Through Food
The activity began with a tasting experience. The College thoughtfully prepared traditional Dragon Boat Festival zongzi (glutinous rice dumplings) and seasonal Dragon Boat Festival candies (zongzi-shaped sweets), allowing international students to begin their perception of Dragon Boat Festival customs through their taste buds. At the event, staff provided a detailed explanation of the folk meanings behind eating zongzi and tasting seasonal candies during the Dragon Boat Festival, as well as the ancient tradition of eating these foods to clear heat, eliminate dampness, and pray for health and well-being during the summer. The international students collected their zongzi and sweet festival candies, savoring the unique flavors of the Dragon Boat Festival and immersing themselves in the food culture of this traditional Chinese holiday. Phimmavong, an international student from Laos, said happily: "This is my first time experiencing the special foods of the Dragon Boat Festival in China. The zongzi have a unique texture, the festival candies are sweet and refreshing, and the folk stories behind them are especially interesting. I now understand that traditional Chinese festivals not only feature special foods, but also contain the wisdom and beautiful hopes of ancient people. This experience has allowed me to truly understand the meaning of the Dragon Boat Festival."
(Photo: International student tasting zongzi at the event)
Skillfully Making Dragon Boat Festival Bracelets, Weaving Good Wishes at Their Fingertips
During the bracelet-making experience segment, the College prepared materials such as colorful silk threads and decorative accessories in advance. Staff demonstrated the weaving techniques step by step and explained the traditional custom of wearing colorful silk bracelets during the Dragon Boat Festival. The international students were full of enthusiasm and eager to try. They carefully followed the steps—wrapping, threading, and knotting—patiently adjusting the shapes of their knots. Everyone helped one another and exchanged tips, creating a warm and lively atmosphere. One by one, colorful and exquisitely crafted Dragon Boat Festival bracelets were completed. Anudari, an international student from Mongolia, showed off her handmade creation and said with emotion: "The process of weaving the bracelet was especially soothing. Every strand of silk carries beautiful wishes. The colorful bracelet I made with my own hands is very meaningful. I will wear it for a long time, and I also want to give this special Dragon Boat Festival blessing to my family and friends."
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(Photo: International students tasting festival candies and making Dragon Boat Festival bracelets)
Creatively Painting Zongzi, Adding a Fresh Touch to Dragon Boat Festival Traditions
To bring new vitality to traditional culture, the activity included a special creative session on painting zongzi, infusing fresh creativity into the Dragon Boat Festival traditions. After receiving blank zongzi-shaped ceramic or plaster forms in various shapes and painting tools, the international students fully tapped into their imagination and creativity. Unconstrained by fixed templates, they freely mixed colors and sketched patterns. Incorporating Dragon Boat Festival elements, they painted zongzi, dragon boats, mugwort, auspicious clouds, and other whimsical designs onto the forms. Some chose fresh and elegant color schemes, while others designed cute cartoon styles. One by one, ordinary blank zongzi forms were transformed into unique Dragon Boat Festival cultural and creative works under the skillful hands of the international students. Akbermet, an international student from Kyrgyzstan, looked at her painted creation and said with delight: "This creative session was especially fun. A small zongzi form can be painted with all kinds of Dragon Boat Festival patterns. Through painting, I learned many Dragon Boat Festival elements. It not only improved my hands-on skills, but also made me love traditional Chinese culture even more. This is my one-of-a-kind Dragon Boat Festival souvenir."
(Photo: International student showcasing a creatively designed zongzi illustration)
This Dragon Boat Festival cultural experience activity, through immersive and interactive cultural experiences, allowed international students to step beyond their textbooks and get closer to tradition, experiencing the breadth and depth of traditional Chinese culture from multiple angles and dimensions. The activity not only enriched the campus cultural life of international students and built a high-quality platform for cultural exchange and mutual learning between China and other countries, but also subtly established a bridge for cultural communication.
Going forward, the College of International Education will continue to deepen its work in national conditions education and cultural cultivation for international students, regularly carrying out various traditional Chinese cultural experience activities. Using culture as a bond and exchange as a vehicle, the College will guide international students studying in China to understand China, get to know China, and develop a love for China, effectively nurturing a new generation of international youth who understand China and are friendly toward China.
Written by: Zhang Ruyi
Photograph by: Zhang Ruyi
Reviewed by: Chen Wei
