In the afternoon of January 27, 2023 (the 6th day of the 1st month of the lunar calendar), the International Education College of SBS held an online activity for international students to share and introduce traditional Chinese New Year customs, present the profound underlying meanings, spread Chinese culture and traditions, and enhance communication and interaction between Chinese and foreign students.

The session focused on traditional Chinese New Year customs. People add  to the festive atmosphere in various ways and means. For example,  people express their hopes for the New Year and the New Life by putting  up Chinese New Year couplets; besides, people make festival lanterns as a  custom originating from the traditional folklore of the Han Chinese  people, and the lanterns are made of paper or silk as the outer skin,  and bamboo or wood as the skeleton, with candles or light bulbs placed  in the middle; Shou Sui has a long history as a custom of staying up on New Year’s Eve; during Shou  Sui, the elders would give “New Year’s money” (Lucky Money) to the  younger generation, hoping the latter would have a smooth year; another  case is the festive and lively reunion dinner, which is often the main  activity of most people during the Chinese New Year, and can be  considered one of the most important features of the Chinese New Year.

The session also introduced the CCTV Spring Festival Gala, which is a  comprehensive cultural gala held by CCTV every year on New Year’s Eve to  celebrate the New Year. During the session, the Chinese students  introduced the programs of the Gala to the students and selected  representative performance clips.

NZOUNGOU JEFFERSON PRINCE AMOUR, an international student from the Republic of Congo said, “I  am a fan of Chinese culture, and I think today’s activity has broadened  my knowledge of Chinese Spring Festival culture and deepened my  understanding of traditional Chinese culture”. The Chinese and foreign  students celebrated the Chinese New Year together online. International  students are not only the “business card” of China’s foreign education,  but also the “messenger” of communication between China and the world.  The event enhanced the friendship between the international students and  Chinese students, allowed the international students to feel the atmosphere of Chinese New Year and deepened their understanding of Chinese traditional customs.

Written by: Zhang Ruyi

Screenshots by: Zhang Ruyi

Reviewed by: Chen Wei