In the coming year, I hope I can make progress and achievements in my schoolwork, said Ni Lan, an undergraduate at ECNU from Uzbekistan. Speaking and writing fluently in Chinese, she expressed her new year's wish by writing her first spring couplet.
Foreign students wrote spring couplets, made dumplings and held a big dinner on campus.
As the Chinese new year is approaching, the ECNU Center for International Education organized a special event to acclimate foreign students to the proper customs and experience China’s most important traditional festival - the Spring Festival. ECNU faculty invited around 250 students from 23 countries at ECNU to partake in the Chinese holiday.
In addition to holding a Chinese New Year's Eve dinner for the students as in previous years, there were new events such as writing spring couplets and making dumplings this year. This was in an effort on the part of ECNU to modulate various Chinese lifestyles during the holiday.
Many of the foreign students at ECNU are impressed with Chinese calligraphy. An undergraduate student from Pakistan, Ran Wei, was profoundly influenced by the Chinese traditional art form. Chinese calligraphy is really intriguing! It enables me to be immersed in another world peacefully. I will continue to learn it next semester.
Ran Wei learned about Chinese calligraphy for the first time through the writing of spring couplets. With the guidance of a professional teacher, he practiced his writing from 1:30 to 4:00 pm, and received praise for his remarkable progress. The photo of him with his teacher shows the two holding his work with ECNU's name on it in Chinese. He claimed that he would like to paste them at the door of his room to add some Spring Festival atmosphere to the foreign students dormitory unit.
Writing Spring couplets.
ECNU was more than satisfied to see international students expressing their wishes to each other through writing spring couplets while strengthening their friendships through Chinese culture. ECNU students also felt more proud to play a part in Chinese culture after learning to make their own dumplings.
“Happy New Year! Happy New Year! Wish everyone a Happy New Year!” At the dinner, Chinese students and international students stood together and celebrated New Year’s Eve through singing holiday songs, impromptu performances, various games and the unique “Lucky Envelope” prepared by teachers from the Center for International Education. The customary Spring Festival dinner was held for students at both Minhang and Putuo campuses, which was linked through a Wechat group that allowed them to interact online.
Foreign students celebrated Chinese New Year in ECNU.
Making dumplings.
Improvisation.
International students expressed that this time of the year is the most pleasant experience for them to be in China, whereby observing Chinese customs and enjoying the holiday atmosphere makes them happy to be living in another country.
There are altogether over 6000 international students from 130 countries and regions at ECNU. Each year, ECNU organizes various activities in order to direct students to feel the essence of Chinese and Shanghainese cultures. These include “Experience China”, the“Xuelong” Scientific Trip, Volunteering teaching and the Dragon Boat Competition.
One of the international students from the IR program at ECNU, Huangyue, told reporters that though she missed her parents in Krgystan, she would stay over the holiday because she wanted to experience Chinese Spring Festival for herself. “I am attracted to traditional Chinese culture,” she said. “I attended every traditional activity organized by the university. I like this city, and I like Chinese culture. I hope I could stay and work in Shanghai after graduation.”
Foreign students experienced Chinese traditional culture.
Translated by Siyuan Zhang and Linlan Zhang Proofread by Joshua Mayfield Reviewed by Wenjun Guo
