This summer, Donghua's International Education Center hosted eight cultural workshops for international students—covering everything from hands-on crafts to martial arts, from tea ceremony to sand painting. Each session gave participants a chance to get closer to Chinese traditions through direct experience. Here's a look back at the journey.

1. Paper Fan Making (July 8)

In this workshop, students learned to make paper fans using a technique called quilling—rolling thin strips of paper into coils and shaping them into decorative patterns. It takes patience to get the tension right, and a steady hand to place each piece just so. Most of the students had never tried it before. But by the end of the session, they had turned strips of colored paper into their own handcrafted fans. There is something quietly satisfying about making something with your hands—and for many, that was exactly what made the experience special.

2. Wushu (July 13)

The wushu session focused on foundational movements—stances, punches, and the repetition needed to get them right. But beyond the physical training, what struck the students most was the discipline and respect woven into every move. Bows before and after practice, attention to posture, control over force. By the end of the class, they had learned more than a few basic techniques. They had also experienced a side of Chinese martial arts that doesn't always show up on screen—the balance between strength and restraint, and the philosophy of skill guided by character.

3. Miniature Garden (July 15)

With a handful of soil, a few pebbles, and a small succulent, each student created their own miniature landscape. There were no strict rules—just materials, imagination, and a little space to play. Some went for lush, full arrangements; others kept it sparse and airy, with plenty of empty space. No two gardens looked alike. Through this simple act of arranging plants and stones, the students got a feel for an idea that runs deep in Chinese aesthetics: sometimes, what you leave out matters just as much as what you put in.

4. Tea Ceremony (July 20)

Students learned to identify different teas, warm the pot, pour water just right, and savor the taste. Every step came with a ritual—small gestures, learned and repeated. Each person's way of pouring, of waiting, of handling the leaves, changed the flavor. It was a quiet reminder that tea is never just technique. It's attention, patience, and a willingness to slow down.

5. Sand Painting (July 22)

The session was about letting sand fall through your fingers to create landscapes. No paint, no brushes—just your hands and the movement of the sand. It looked simple, but controlling the flow took practice. And because the sand kept shifting, every moment was different. The students spent their time experimenting, watching mountains and rivers appear and disappear with each gesture. It was a hands-on encounter with an aesthetic that values transience—the idea that some things are beautiful precisely because they don't last.

6. Peking Opera Mask Painting (July 27)

Before picking up their brushes, the students learned what the colors of Peking Opera masks actually mean—red for loyalty, black for integrity, white for cunning, and so on. It's a visual language that tells a character's story at a glance. Then they started painting. Some recreated classic patterns with care; others went off-script, adding their own colors and lines. Old forms met new imaginations, and the masks that came out of the room that afternoon didn't just look at tradition—they spoke to it, too.

7. Beaded Bracelet Making (July 29)

Each bead in the workshop carried its own meaning. Some stones were said to bring courage, others wisdom, still others peace and safety—a small piece of traditional symbolism held in the palm of your hand.

The students browsed through the colorful selection, picking the ones that spoke to them, and strung them together one by one into bracelets. By the end of the session, each wrist carried something personal—not just a piece of jewelry, but a small token of meaning, passed down through time.

8. Scented Plaque Making (August 3)

This workshop was about making small scented plaques—mixing plaster, pouring it into molds, waiting for it to set, and adding a tassel for a finishing touch. The result was simple, elegant, and carried a faint, lingering scent.

It wasn't a fast process. Each step required care and patience. But that was exactly the point. In a world that rushes, this was a chance to slow down, focus on one small thing, and make something beautiful with your own hands.

By the time they finished, each student had not just a plaque to take home, but a quiet memory of a summer afternoon spent making something that smelled as good as it looked.

Culture is more than something you read about in a textbook. This summer, it was something you could hold, feel, and create with your own hands.

The heat of summer may be fading, but the interest these students discovered along the way doesn't have to. We look forward to welcoming them back next year.

Source: Donghua University