To allow international students to truly experience the festive and harmonious atmosphere of the traditional Chinese Spring Festival, on February 7, 2024, Leshan Vocational and Technical College held a special "Perceiving China" event themed "Dynamic Dragons, Bright Future" for international students to experience the culture of the Year of the Dragon. The event was attended by Liu Zhong, President of the college, Zhang Jia, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee, teachers from the International College, and teachers from the college's calligraphy association, who joined the international students staying on campus during the holiday to celebrate the Spring Festival together.
Seventy-eight international students from Laos, Nepal, Bangladesh, Tajikistan, Indonesia, and Vietnam, led by their teachers, learned about the origins of the Chinese Spring Festival and the legends of the dragon. Together with their teachers, they wrote Spring Festival couplets and the character "Fu" (blessing), feeling the rich traditional Chinese culture and the festive atmosphere through the red rice paper and ink. They assembled dragon lanterns, becoming "descendants of the dragon" for a day; printed New Year pictures, learned about China's Four Great Inventions, specifically the art of printing, and appreciated the spirit and wisdom behind traditional Chinese craftsmanship; and made dumplings, understanding that "dumplings, which sound like 'jiaozi' in Chinese, symbolize the transition from the old to the new, or 'handing over the years'..." This was a unique and lively class on perceiving China.
Being in a foreign land does not make one a stranger; the college's celebration of the Spring Festival was filled with new and warm meanings. The festive spirit is the essence of culture. Through this special Spring Festival event, the college showcased China's millennia-old cultural heritage to international students, hoping that they would enhance their recognition and understanding of Chinese culture while savoring the "flavor of the year."
In the coming year, the college will continue to improve the educational, management, and service systems for international students. It will focus not only on teaching quality but also on humanistic care, strengthen cultural exchanges between China and other countries, and reinforce education through culture and environment. The college aims to create a "Study in Leshan" brand that attracts international students from all "Belt and Road" countries, effectively promoting the spread of Jiazhou's excellent culture and enhancing its international visibility.
