Taizhou, Zhejiang: Chinese and International Teachers & Students Jointly Create an Immersive Dragon Boat Festival Cultural Feast

International students are showcasing the sachets they made.

From sewing sachets and weaving dragon boats to wrapping zongzi and making shibingtong ... On the occasion of the upcoming traditional Chinese Dragon Boat Festival, from May 27th to 28th, Taizhou Vocational & Technical College hosted a unique Sino-foreign cultural exchange activity. Through forms such as intangible cultural heritage handicrafts, food workshops, and cultural sharing, the event promoted deep interaction among young Chinese and international teachers and students. The activity attracted foreign teachers, international students from the Sino-German Institute, and Chinese teachers and students to participate together, experiencing the charm of cultural integration in the festive atmosphere of the traditional holiday.

Thai students are learning to weave bamboo-woven dragon boat ornaments.

On the afternoon of May 27th（2025）, the first event, "Weaving Emotions with Ingenuity · Sino-Thai Handicrafts – Dragon Boat Festival ICH Culture Workshop," kicked off in Classroom 111 of the Sino-German Institute. Chinese and Thai students worked in groups, experiencing traditional Chinese Dragon Boat Festival customs under the guidance of instructors. The students hand-stitched sachets filled with mugwort, decorating them with colorful silk threads, symbolizing warding off evil and praying for good fortune. They also tried their hand at weaving bamboo-woven dragon boat ornaments, experiencing the ingenuity of traditional Chinese handicrafts. Thai students expressed that this was their first encounter with Dragon Boat Festival culture, and through hands-on practice, they gained a more intuitive understanding of Chinese festive customs. After the event, students kept their creations as souvenirs, serving as a testament to Sino-Thai friendship.

International students are sharing Thai food culture.

The activity on the 28th, themed "Cultural Tracing · Culinary Common Origins," focused on a dialogue between Chinese and Thai food cultures. At 2 PM, a Sino-Thai food culture sharing session was held in the cooking demonstration room on the fourth floor of Shunji Canteen. Chinese and Thai students each presented three representative sets of food culture, delving into the similarities and differences between the two cuisines, from ingredient selection to cooking techniques. During the interactive Q&A session, Thai students showed strong interest in the diversity of Chinese cuisine, while Chinese students marveled at the unique balance of sour and spicy flavors in Thai food.

Foreign teachers and students are learning to wrap zongzi.

The subsequent hands-on culinary practice session, "Co-creating with Ingenuity · The Beauty of Handicrafts," brought the event to a climax. In the culinary training room and pastry training room, Chinese and international students were divided into six groups to prepare specialty dishes from their respective countries. In the Thai Flavor Workshop, the spicy and sour notes of Tom Yum Goong (spicy shrimp soup) and Som Tum (green papaya salad) left a lasting impression; the Taizhou Cuisine Workshop presented authentic dishes like Mapo Tofu and Sweet and Sour Pork with Pineapple. The most eye-catching part was the collaborative challenge area, where foreign teachers Ariel and Mike joined students at the table, learning to wrap zongzi, make the Taizhou specialty shibingtong (a type of thin pancake roll), and try their hand at creative lollipop DIY. When international students tried wrapping zongzi for the first time, they were full of praise for the fragrant scent of the bamboo leaves and the soft, sticky texture of the glutinous rice. Meanwhile, under the guidance of Chinese teachers and students, the foreign teachers also learned to roll fresh, savory fillings into shibingtong, experiencing the "flavors of Taizhou on the tongue."

International students are tasting the local Taizhou delicacy, shibingtong.

The evening event, "Shared Beauty · Dialogue on the Tongue – Sino-Foreign Culinary Tasting Banquet," brought the activity to a perfect conclusion. Chinese and international teachers and students shared the fruits of their labor in the canteen's private room, tasting the dishes they had prepared together. International students remarked that they could see the inclusiveness of Chinese culture through the food, while Chinese students came to appreciate the vibrant enthusiasm of tropical flavors from Thai cuisine.

Scene of the Sino-foreign cultural exchange activity.

Hu Shaoguang, Party Secretary of Taizhou Vocational & Technical College; Guo Wuyan, Member of the Party Committee and Vice President; and Xu Feng, Member of the Party Committee and Vice President, attended the aforementioned activities. This event was not only a cultural showcase but also built a bridge of friendship between young people from China and abroad. Xu Feng stated that they would continue to promote such exchanges in the future, allowing more international students to experience the profound heritage of traditional Chinese culture while simultaneously fostering mutual learning among civilizations. As the Dragon Boat Festival approaches, amidst the fragrance of zongzi leaves, the laughter and collaboration between Chinese and international teachers and students are writing a vivid footnote for "people-to-people connectivity."

Translator：Jiayang Lin