(Translated by Xu Shuang，Proofread by Sun Wei)On October 9, an experiential activity on Chinese culture was launched jointly by College of Chinese Language and Culture and School of International Education, with the theme of experiencing traditional Chinese culture in the campus of Nankai University. This activity aimed to integrate into interesting games elements of traditional Chinese festivals and solar terms so that participants can experience the colorfulness and richness of Chinese culture and at the same time develop their cross-cultural communication skills when collaborating with students from other cultures.
Drawing inspirations from classic poetry, six links were designed in this activity: Poetry Chanting, Poetry Painting, Solving Riddles, Performing, Sharing the Moment Together and Wandering around NKU Campus. Students worked in groups to recite the following lines of an ancient poem after the ones given, to paint pictures regarding the season of autumn on blank fan sheets, and to perform together to share their stories with Nankai University. During the process, they fully experienced the beauty and charm of Chinese culture amidst the atmosphere of the Mid-Autumn Day. For example, in the performing and riddle sessions, some participants recited the classic poem by one of China’s greatest poet Su Shi “TUNE: PRELUDE TO WATER MELODY” that alludes to the idea of “reunion of family and friends” in Chinese culture, some cooperated with each other to work out intriguing riddles by performing in exaggerated forms, and some international students shared their stories of learning Chinese in Nankai University.
When wandering around NKU campus, students took photos with memorial landmarks and learned about the stories behind them: the Siyuan Hall was once preserved under the Japanese bombing, and the Datong Student Center was shaped like a blooming crabapple flower. During the process, the participants renewed and deepened their understanding of the history of the beautiful university. In the final session of Sharing the Moment Together”, the students exchanged with each other wish cards on which everyone had already written their future expectations and best wishes to celebrate China’s National Day.
As the renowned Chinese poet Liu Yuxi once said, “Only desolation has autumn been known to arouse; but I would say an autumn day is much better than spring morn.” In this beautiful autumn, the students have, through communications and cooperations, learned more about both Nankai University at the time of its 103th anniversary and even more traditional Chinese culture with thousands of years’ history, in particular their beauties and splendidness.
