With the campus of Dalian University of Technology (DUT) blossomed, and the seasonal scenery sprouted, the Chinese and international students were full of anticipation to usher in the campus activities of the 2025 International Chinese Language Day. On the afternoon of April 9, the School of International Education organized a Chinese Language Day activity with the theme of “Connecting with the World, and Pursuing Dreams in Chinese” for nearly 100 Chinese and international students from various majors and programs.
Under the background of melodious Chinese music, this International Chinese Language Day activity started with a language ice-breaking game, in which Chinese and international students shared their favorite Chinese proverbs or poems with each other. The international students showed their impressive accumulation of Chinese from their daily learning in China.
Chinese Puzzles Unlocking Fun: Appreciating Ancient Wisdom
In 2025, echoing the theme of International Chinese Language Day, “Chinese: A Gift Through Time and Space”, the international student hosts introduced one of the traditional classic intangible cultural heritage items, the Lu Ban locks. As one of the representatives of China's invention and creation history, this ancient fixing device for civil engineering construction is still fascinating through thousands of years. It was the first time for most of the students to experience the Lu Ban locks in various combinations. The Chinese and international students with engineering backgrounds were even more interested in this project. They were deeply attracted by the wooden bars that were supported by their own structural connections, and were excited to have a try on their own. Although it was a bit unfamiliar and difficult to work on the locks, each group of students showed great patience and dedication. With the concerted efforts of the team members, the group of students who completed the restoration of the locks in the shortest time won the “Craftsmanship” award. When sharing his feelings, Romanian master's student Li Haoran (EMANUEL CURATOREANU) said that he has always thought that ancient Chinese architecture is particularly beautiful, which is why he chose to major in civil engineering, and after trying the Lu ban locks, he was even more amazed by the wisdom of traditional Chinese craftsmen. As a graduate student in science and engineering, the inheritance and continuation of this craftsmanship has made him more deeply realize the importance of creative thinking and practical application.
Elegance of Chinese Handwriting: the Beauty from the Tip of the Pen
During the vibrant Grain Rain solar term, the International Chinese Language Day also commemorates the contribution of Cang Jie, the legendary inventor of Chinese characters, to the creation of Chinese characters. In this workshop, the School of International Education prepared customized field grid paper for Chinese and international students to practise writing on this special day. A session of writing in regular script was set up for the participants to better understand the charm of Chinese. The poem of the twenty-four solar terms (excerpts) not only illustrated the beauty of the Chinese language in terms of its elegance and meaning, but also allowed everyone to reflect on the rich cultural connotations of nature and history in China. Although the strokes were sometimes complicated, in this mindful process, everyone felt a sense of accomplishment. ALINA CHEBESOVA, a Russian undergraduate student who received one of the highest number of votes in the writing contest, said that in today's activity, she learned for the first time that the twenty-four seasons is a masterpiece of the intangible cultural heritage of the UNESCO. In the future, she hopes to participate in more cultural exchange activities and would like to seize every opportunity to learn more about China.
HSK Experience Sharing: Further Steps on Chinese Learning Paths
With the increase of the proportion of students in our Chinese-taught programs, more and more international students are aware of the importance of the HSK test. In the activity of the International Chinese Language Day, SE HEE KIM, a master's degree student majoring in Chinese Language and Literature, shared her experience of studying for the HSK level 6 test, including the information of the test, study materials, review content, practice skills, etc. She exchanged her views and understanding on Chinese language and HSK with the students of different countries. She said “HSK is not only a test, but also a valuable opportunity for us to comprehend Chinese language and Chinese culture. I hope that in the process of preparing for the exam, you will not only focus on improving our language skills, but also enjoy the fun of learning Chinese.”
In this era full of hope and opportunities, the International Chinese Language Day, with its unique features and far-reaching influence, has built a language and culture exchange platform for young people from all over the world to communicate and interact with each other, and to create and share progress together. Here, Chinese and international students not only learned the language knowledge of Chinese, but also deeply realized the rich cultural connotation and unique spiritual value of Chinese. The Chinese language has become an important tool for them to expand their knowledge and enhance their international competitiveness, as well as a valuable medium for them to exchange ideas, broaden their horizons and grow together. With Chinese as a bridge to connect the world, we would be dedicated to work hand in hand, and write a promising chapter of the community of shared future for mankind.
