Expats immerse themselves in traditional Chinese culture
Over 30 expat representatives and consular spouses from 20 countries and regions attended the 2024 International Community Overseas Talent Intangible Cultural Heritage Experience Event in the Gubei Community in Changning District on Friday, in anticipation of the Lantern Festival on Saturday.
During the event, a number of craftsmen and performance artists gave lectures or demonstrations in sugar painting, paper-cut window decor, Chinese knot making, the past and present of kesi (a kind of silk tapestry), Kunqu Opera, traditional lantern handicraft, and dumpling making.
Expats learn about shuixiu (water sleeve) in Kunqu Opera during the event.
Themed Diverse Heritage Fusion – Vibrant in Hongqiao·Dragon Soars Lantern Festival, the event was kicked off by rollicking lion dancing.
In the first event on kesi, or silk tapestry, dozens of expats not only learned how the art that originated in Egypt was introduced to China in the Song Dynasty (960-1279), but also had a chance to practice the craft.
Expats practice kesi (silk tapestry).
Expats learn about the past and present of kesi.
Judith Pinera from Cuba, who is executive lounge manager at the Grand Kempinski Hotel Shanghai, was effusive about the experience.
"I have to say that the heritage of the Chinese culture is very rich, because it makes me connect with my roots, with my culture as well. It is really nice to be here at this event that I was invited with one of my Chinese friends," Pinera said.
She said that like the Chinese, Cubans also place a high premium on family ties.
Pinera said her favorite event was dumplings. "The dumpling demonstration is really nice because I learned how to do it. It's amazing because you can combine the dumpling with so many things."
Expats learn to make tangyuan, glutinous rice dumplings with sweet or salty fillings.
Singaporean Linda Painan, chairperson of The Expatriate Center (TEC), one of the organizers of the event, was very appreciative of the help she had received.
"I know the effort that we had to go to is locating all the different teachers, the experts in their field, but they are all very helpful. ... We got a lot of help from Hongqiao street office today. And they provided a lot of the context for us like the lion dance, like the facility, the teachers teaching us to make the rice dumplings, the paper cutting, etc," Painan said, adding that "although there's a lot of work, it seems that there was no work at all because everybody was so happy in preparing for it."
Flora Penaloza, TEC WoMen Project Manager, was amazed by the diverse cultural events.
Although she was born in Taiwan, and can speak fluent Chinese, she had grown up in New York, and had limited exposure to traditional Chinese culture.
Therefore helping organize the event was a tremendous education.
She is also enjoying learning and practising Chinese calligraphy.
