On June 22, 11 TU international students from Uzbekistan, Bangladesh, Belarus, and Pakistan went to Ten Miles Street in Luqiao to participate in the Hundred-Person Long Table Banquet event, celebrating Dragon Boat Festival together with local residents and tourists.
The event consisted of three parts, namely “Ten Miles of Fun - Garden Fair”, “Ten Miles of Excitement - Interactive Session”, and “Ten Miles of Delicacy - Shibing Roll Banquet”. In the Garden Fair, the international students created Dragon-Boat-Festival-themed collage artworks and learned how to make zongzi (a traditional Chinese rice dish made of glutinous rice stuffed with different fillings and wrapped in bamboo leaves) under the guidance of teachers. Through the handicraft activities, they gained an understanding of the origins and customs of Dragon Boat Festival and experienced traditional folk culture. One of the highlights of the Interactive Session was the lion dance performance, in which dancers amazed the international students with their agile steps and graceful movements. They eagerly took out their phones to capture the exciting moments. After the performance, the Shibing Roll Banquet began. They were showed how to spread out the roll wrappers on the table, used chopsticks to pick their favorite ingredients, and carefully rolled them up before savoring the delicious bites. Though the international students were not highly skilled in using chopsticks or making the rolls, they embraced the local food and roll-making process with enthusiasm.
Enjoying delicious food and talking about the festival, the international students immersed themselves in the festive atmosphere. Mahmud Hasib (Chinese name: Ye Feifan) from Bangladesh said, “China is very different from my country. Since coming to China a few months ago, I have learned a lot about Chinese history and culture. This Dragon Boat Festival event was a fantastic experience for us as we made zongzi with our own hands and watched a lion dance performance!” Saparbaev Khurshidbek (Chinese name: Yang Hao) from Uzbekistan shared, “I have been in China for four years and have participated in many activities, but today’s event was particularly memorable. We made dragon boat collages, wore traditional Chinese costumes while visiting Ten Miles Street in Luqiao, tasted the local specialty food shibing roll, and even tried the local delicacy yangcaigao (a kind of jelly made of Stonewort). I am very happy!”
Dragon Boat Festival is a traditional folk festival that combines the customs of worshipping gods and ancestors, praying for blessings, warding off evil spirits, celebrating and entertaining, and enjoying special food. This experiential activity further promotes the traditional culture of the Chinese nation, allowing our international students to personally experience the authentic “Chinese flavor” and appreciate the charm of Eastern traditional culture. It has become a distinctive chapter in our university’s practical activities of “Feeling China - Journey in the East”, which has left them with unforgettable memories.
