An event marking the upcoming Chinese Duanwu Festival, also known as the Dragon Boat Festival, was held by the Confucius Institute at Ricardo Palma University in Lima, Peru on Wednesday, immersing local students in Chinese cultural vibes.
The festival, always celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth month on the Chinese lunar calendar, will fall on Saturday (May 31) this year.
The event began with Chinese teachers telling local students about the origin of the festival, the stories of patriotic Chinese poet Qu Yuan, and customs like the dragon boat race and eating zongzi.
At a dragon boat design competition held amid the celebration, there was a variety of works featuring a good combination of Chinese and Peruvian cultural elements created by students.
The most outstanding dragon boat design was the largest green one which won the top prize in the competition.
"A dragon boat consists of several parts, including the keel, the dragon neck and tail. Besides, we have added some details which represent both Chinese and Peruvian cultures. We have also integrated it with the cultural elements of the festival, such as the zongzi that people eat on the Dragon Boat Festival. In addition, we have put in representative Chinese cultural symbols such as the panda, as well as elements of Peru like the llama. They symbolize the friendship between China and Peru," said Emily Moreano Francia, designer of the dragon boat.
A tug-of-war competition held at the event allowed Peruvian students to experience the joy of teamwork in laughter.
Another highlight at the event was zongzi, a traditional Duanwu Festival food made of sticky rice and various fillings wrapped in bamboo leaves. The delicious zongzi of different flavors satisfied the taste buds of the Peruvian student a lot, sparking their interest in Chinese food culture.
"This event is a great opportunity for students to gain a deeper understanding of Chinese culture. We hope that they will not just be spectators, but truly active participants. We not only spread language and culture, but also hope to help students understand and practice Chinese values that can be shared across cultures, and meanwhile integrate them into our own culture," said Cecilia Tello, director of the Confucius Institute at Ricardo Palma University.
Duanwu Festival event immerses Peruvian university students in Chinese cultural vibes
