Free Chinese culture class brings fun, knowledge

More than 110 expats in Shenzhen signed up for a free online Chinese culture class offered by the Hongshan International Service Center in Minzhi Subdistrict and more than 460 showed up for the livestreaming Saturday. They created their own craftwork that involved Chinese painting with a writing brush.

It was the fourth free Chinese culture class that the center has offered since April this year and the center is planning more online and offline Chinese culture classes through the end of this year. With a variety of themes, these events are designed to help build an international neighborhood and create a multicultural atmosphere.

Craftwork teachers Jing Yan (L) and Zoey Chen livestream the procedures of making a traditional Chinese screen-shaped lamp at the Hongshan International Service Center in Minzhi Subdistrict on Saturday. Courtesy of Hongshan International Service Center

The online event that took place Saturday allowed attendees to make traditional Chinese screen-shaped lamps, and the most challenging procedure was to paint with a Chinese-style writing brush, according to Zoey Chen, one of the teachers. It was the first time for some of the attendees to paint with a writing brush and they were very excited and very good learners, according to Chen.

                                    Shalini Sehgal from India is seen in the process of making a lamp during the livestreaming. 

                                                                                                          Courtesy of Hongshan International Service Center

Shalini Sehgal, an attendee from India, asked the teachers in detail about the techniques of painting with such a brush and practiced a few times before painting a lotus.

                                   Alka Gupta from India holds her handiwork. Courtesy of Hongshan International Service Center

“My work is not perfect, but the process was really fun,” said Alka Gupta from India.

Usman Muhammad from Pakistan and Islam Mohammad Shafiqul from Bangladesh, two other attendees, said the class helped them learn more about Chinese culture.

                                   Usman Muhammad from Pakistan takes a photo with the screen-shaped lamp he made during

                                   the class. Wang Yan

                                    Islam Mohammad Shafiqul from Bangladesh showcases his work. Xiaofei

Minzhi Subdistrict is among the first batch of international blocks designated by the city government for building an international city. To better serve the expats in the subdistrict as well as elsewhere, the subdistrict established the Hongshan International Service Center and has initiated a series of cross-cultural activities.

Chinese screen art, which was featured in Saturday’s event, is well accepted in Japan, South Korea, and many European countries. With the continuous evolution of the times, people have invented various screen-shaped decorations, and the screen-shaped lamp is one of them. Decorated with Chinese painting, these lamps can be beautiful as well as functional.