On the first day of the Chinese New Year, we await the renewal of the four seasons. On February 9th, which is the eve of the Chinese New Year, IEC held a “Wearing Hanfu, Learning Sugar Painting, Making Dragon Lanterns” theme activity in the international students’ dormitory 19 to make international students experience the Chinese traditional lunar new year. The Vice Secretary of DMU, Tong Chunguang, the head of the Department of Security and Safety, Chen Hong, the secretary of the Party Branch of the Catering Management Department, Wang Yuenian, the deputy director of the Office of Party and Government Affairs, Li Liang, and the dean of IEC, Lu Wei, as well as the deputy secretary of the Party Branch of IEC, Guo Yanqiu, and teachers from IEC, joined hands with more than 60 international students from Iran, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and other countries to celebrate the Chinese New Year together.
With the gentle and melodious music of the guzheng, international students put on elegant and refined Hanfu, took photos and posted these pictures on social media to record the wonderful moments. In this moment, although everyone came from different countries of the world, wearing Hanfu made everyone shimmer with a unique charm and showed the diversity of Hanfu. Praises and laughter filled the air.
In front of the sugar painting table, international students experienced the fun of sugar painting under the guidance of Gong Liguo, a non-material cultural heritage inheritor and sugar painting artist. At the handicraft table, the ingenious international students learned to make dragon lanterns carefully. Finally, everyone raised the sugar painting dragon and handmade lanterns to send good wishes for the Chinese New Year.
Tong Chunguang, on behalf of DMU, extended New Year greetings to the international students. He warmly talked with the international students about their study and life, encouraged them to study hard, actively contribute to the exchange of Chinese and foreign cultures, and advised them to arrange their holiday schedules reasonably in order to have a peaceful and harmonious Chinese New Year.
Dalian TV conducted a full coverage of the event and, in an interview with Alkawmani, a 2022 undergraduate student in the Chinese language class of 2022 who comes from Iraq, he said: “This is my first experience with Hanfu and sugar painting. I really like Chinese culture and the exquisite Hanfu. This experience has made my impression of the Chinese New Year even deeper. I wish everyone a happy Chinese New Year!”
Kifayat, a 2016 doctoral student from Pakistan, said: “I really appreciate the college for magnificently arranging this activity for us, so that we can feel the warmth of home while living abroad. I hope everyone can achieve their goals and make progress in the coming year, and have the most beautiful time at Dalian Medical University.”
This New Year theme activity further enriched the winter vacation life of international students and deeply disseminated traditional Chinese culture. International students felt the warmth of a home away from home and the festive atmosphere of the Chinese New Year in a foreign land. In the new year, IEC will continue to support international students in experiencing traditional Chinese culture, telling Chinese stories, spreading Chinese voices, and making international students ambassadors of friendship between China and other countries.
Happy New Year! May the Year of the Rabbit had brought you joy and prosperity, and the Year of the Dragon bring you good health, happiness, and success. May all your dreams come true in the Year of the Dragon!
