On 7 May, SCMZU held a garden party for all students and teachers as part of a series of activities entitled "The Beauty of Chinese Culture", featuring immersive cultural experiences and performances to enrich the campus with traditional Chinese culture.

The event was organised by the Publicity Department of the Party Committee, the Student Affairs Department of the Party Committee and the University Youth League Committee, and hosted by the School of Literature, Journalism and Communication, including activities such as poetry games, feihualing (a words drinking game often played by scholars in ancient China), musical instrument recognition, pitch-pot game (a game during feast in which the winner was decided by the number of arrows thrown into a distant pot), chess, calligraphy, paper cutting and so on. With 23 various themed booths set up, the garden party well demonstrated the traditional Chinese culture and art, non-folk heritage traditional art, and national trendy culture and creativity, which involve students and teachers to enjoy personally the charm of traditional culture.

Students and teachers strolled along the stands in exquisite and beautiful traditional costumes. Yang Junru, a sophomore from the School of Pharmacy, wore a Han Fu (Chinese traditional clothes) with the Dunhuang Frescoes of the Gods and Immortals series as she toured between  stands. She was delighted to see so many people in traditional costumes and said, “I deeply felt the beauty of traditional Chinese costumes.”

At the calligraphy stand, brushes and ink were provided for visitors to make their own calligraphy bookmarks, with which they catch a glimpse of the cultural charm of Chinese calligraphy.

In the evening, a traditional performance was held at the South Lake Playground. SCMZU Peking Opera Troupe presented a special show that engaged both audience’s mind and eyes. “It is a classic play of the Cheng School Peking Opera, and I played the role of Xue Xiangling, the main Character. I am glad that this show provides a stage for us to show Peking Opera to more people." said Yang Fan, a member of the Peking Opera Troupe.

Peking Opera Performance. Photo provided by Wu Ren

Moreover, Chuzhilan Chinese Orchestra, college student art troupe, presented a Pipa Octe “A Rose for You” and the School of Physical Education brought dragon and lion dance performance. In the end, the garden party was rounded off with “China in the Lights” performed by Tianyue Choir.

Pipa Ensemble. Photo provided by Wu Ren

Gong Guan, the Deputy Secretary of the Youth League Committee of the School of Literature, Journalism and Communication said, “We will build more and better platforms for students to experience traditional Chinese culture first-hand.”

Edited by Liu Qiong

Reviewed by Pan Wenjun