Summer cakes, Jiading bamboo carvings, moon-shaped fans, Shanghainese nursery rhymes...were all available on the morning of May 13th, when ECNU held a distinctive and immersive cultural experience activity for the participants of the “Shanghai Summer School - the 12th Diplomat Program for Foreign Consulate Officials in Shanghai”. Diplomats from Thailand, the Philippines, Laos, Egypt, Russia, Chile, Mexico, Dominica, Nigeria, Australia and other consulates in Shanghai gathered on the banks of the Liwa River for an "Early Summer" tour with the compelling flavors of Shanghai .
The activity kicked off with a performance of the national intangible cultural heritage “Shanghai Xinchang Tam-tam Play”. The inheritor, Teacher Gu Meijia, together with the students from Shanghai Shisun Primary School, presented a wonderful performance of the Xinchang Tam-tam Play, which was widely acclaimed by all diplomats. They even expressed their gratitude to the children for their performance with a newly learned Shanghainese phrase “Lao Ling E”, which means “wonderful”.
As summer begins, this activity, themed on “Summer”, focused on exploring and showcasing the summer customs and culture in Shanghai's local culture in combination with intangible cultural heritage projects that could reflect the production and life among people in Shanghai's traditional culture. Diplomats enthusiastically went through different themed experience areas, making and tasting the special summer cakes themselves. Under the guidance of Teacher Wang Zhen, the inheritor of the national intangible cultural heritage: Jiading bamboo carving, they created Jiading bamboo carvings with the Chinese character “Fu” (meaning good fortune) and the rabbit pattern. They also put on the cheongsam and long robes, presenting a fashion show full of Shanghai charms. Although it was their first experience of these cultural customs, the diplomats all immersed themselves in the activity and experienced a unique Shanghai-style "Early Summer" in terms of clothing, food, elegance, and music.
Nearly 500 diplomats from more than 60 countries' consulates in Shanghai have participated in the program over the past decade or so. In 2023, more than 30 diplomats from 20 countries came to ECNU to experience the outstanding campus environment, interact with teachers in Chinese classes, so as to experience the charm of Chinese culture through rich activities, improve their Chinese communication skills, and deepen their understanding of Chinese society and culture.
source：YOUTH DAILY
