On Sept 24, a group of expats from Belarus, the Philippines, Russia and other countries visited Caozhou Ancient City in Heze, Shandong province, to explore some local intangible cultural heritage and experience Mid-Autumn Festival customs.
At the heritage exhibition hall of the Caozhou Ancient City, inheritors explained the history and craftsmanship of traditional arts such as dough figurines, sugar painting and woodblock New Year paintings. Under one-on-one guidance, the expats tried their hand at making dough figurines, painting sugar art, blowing sugar figures and printing woodblock pictures.
"This kind of activity is really cool. I enjoy immersing myself in Chinese culture and appreciate the skills of these inheritors," said Siarhei from Belarus.
They also made mooncakes, completing every step from kneading the dough to filling, molding and shaping it. The smell of the freshly baked mooncakes filled the air with warmth and a slightly sweet fragrance.
Olga from Russia said, "Making mooncakes by hand was warm and unforgettable. These small cakes carry deep feelings of reunion, and they taste delicious."
By blending local intangible cultural heritage with Mid-Autumn traditions, the event offered a tangible and immersive way for international friends to understand Chinese culture, adding fresh vitality to people-to-people exchanges.
International guests learn to make dough figurines under the guidance of an intangible cultural heritage inheritor in Heze, Shandong province, on Sept 24. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
International guests show the mooncakes they made during a Mid-Autumn cultural experience event in Heze's Mudan district. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
A foreign visitor tries her hand at woodblock New Year paintings at the Caozhou Ancient City in Heze. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
