Spring Festival Luncheon and Cultural Experience Activities Jointly Held by TSU and HISD

March 2nd , 2018

March 2nd 2018, Texas Southern University held Spring Festival Luncheon and Cultural Experience Activities in HISD. The activity started at 12:00 for Education Bureau staff. Foreign director Dr. Roger Hart and Chinese director Professor Yi Xiao attended the activity with Chinese volunteer teachers.

Although for many students it was the first time to experience these items, students' enthusiasm and creativity were surprising. The studetns not only completed the prescribed amount, but also used a lot of new methods in the jumping ropes and pinching beans. For example, two or three beans were picked up at a time, and a skipping rope was wound two or three times. There was also the “tattoo” of Chinese characters. The students select their favorite Chinese characters. The volunteer teachers drew tattoos (washable) on their arms. This method not only attracted students’ interest, but also introduced students to Chinese characters.

Cultural experience activities include calligraphy, making dumplings, guessing riddles, pinching beans, painting Facebook, paper cutting. It was the second time for TSUCI cooperating with MALA SICHUAN BISTRO, a Chinese restaurant, providing Chinese Sichuan food for this activity. The content of the entire activity was rich, participants were enthusiastic, and the atmosphere was lively.Making dumplings is one of traditions in Chinese New Year. In order to let participants experience the traditional new year, Chinese volunteer Jing Wang presented the process of making dumplings and taught them how to make a good dumplings. Another tradition of Chinese new year is to post “Fu”, a character with the meaning of fortunate. On new year eve, every family would post “Fu” on the door. Chinese volunteer teacher Yu Wang showed the right way to hold writing brush, explain the meaning of “Fu” and taught them how write “Fu”. Chinese calligraphy attracted many people to try it. Some participant wanted to have a Chinese name. Chinese volunteer teacher Yu Wang gave them Chinese names according to the pronunciation of their English name.

Americans use knives and forks in their daily life, they don’t know how to use chopsticks. Chinese volunteer teacher Heng Zhang taught them how to use chopsticks with patience. After that participants could quickly pick up soy beans from one bowl to another. In halfway of the activity everyone's attention was drawn to a group of lively and lovely children. In the hall, a group of students in four rows sang Chinese songs, "Happy New Year", "Congratulations to New Year", "Happy Clap Song" and "Singing Face". Audience admired their standard pronunciation and perfect performance gave them warm applause and cheers.Spring Festival Luncheon and Cultural Experience Activities gave HISD staff a chance to get to know and experience Chinese culture, which has a significance for Chinese culture promotion. Meanwhile TUSCI got HISD’s support to have increased the visibility of the Confucius Institute in the Houston area and to lay the foundation for spreading Chinese language and Chinese culture.