To help the international students of the institute better experience and know the traditional Chinese culture and deepen the exchanges and understanding of the Chinese and foreign students, on December 30, 2019, the Faculty of International Education held the traditional Chinese culture experience activity, namely, the “Making Dumplings” Activity by Chinese and foreign students to celebrate the New Year’s Day on Floor 2 of Canteen II of the institute. More than 50 people including Office Director Geng Xiaodong of the institute, Dean Jiang Bingkun of the Faculty of International Education, Deputy Secretary Zhang Xiaoning of the General Party Branch, related teachers, counselor, class teachers and the Chinese and foreign students of the institute got together and made dumplings to celebrate the New Year’s Day.

At the beginning of the activity, Director Geng Xiaodong, the departmental leaders and the teachers showed to the international students how to make a variety of dumplings. The Chinese and foreign students observed carefully, began to learn immediately and tried making dumplings by themselves. After repeated practice, most of the students could master the skills of making dumplings and some of them even made dumplings of novelty shapes. The students from different countries also made “dumplings” of their own characteristics, for instance, Tajik dumplings, Indonesian dumplings and Laotian dumplings. The Chinese and foreign students made dumplings and talked about the festivals and culture of their own countries, turning the scene into a class of learning and exchanges of festivals and culture. Quite soon, steaming hot and delicious dumplings were ready. Tasting the tasty dumplings made by themselves, the students felt delightful and excited. The international students expressed their feelings in Chinese: “Chinese dumplings are quite delicious! I like them!”

After the activity was ended, the Chinese and foreign students said they benefited a lot from the cultural experience activity which presented to them the diversity of the Chinese culture and enhanced the friendship between them and their classmates. They felt the care and warmth from the institute and hoped that they could know more about traditional Chinese culture and customs in the future.