As the autumn scenery unfolds beautifully and osmanthus flowers fill the air with fragrance, a Mid-Autumn Festival garden party themed “Intoxicated by the Full Moon and Lantern Glow, Wandering Amidst Autumn’s Osmanthus Fragrance” kicked off warmly on the campus on the evening of September 27th. International students and Chinese students gathered together, immersing themselves in Mid-Autumn folk customs through traditional games and cultural experiences, and appreciating the unique charm of Chinese culture.
The event venue was permeated with a strong festive atmosphere everywhere. Long queues formed early in front of the featured game areas, which became “joyful hubs”for interactions between Chinese and international students. In the “Idiom Gathering” area, students sat around, exploring wisdom and allusions in the ocean of Chinese characters, and touching the rhythm of Chinese culture through word games. In the “Archery Ritual & Game”area, international students learned the skills of touhu (ancient Chinese arrow-throwing game) under guidance, experiencing the elegance of the ancient concept of “judging one’s virtue through archery”. Other game areas such as “Full Moon Color Stacking”, “Autumn Rhyme Ball Dance”and “Mid-Autumn Secret Messages” were also bustling with activity: some passed colorful balls with tacit cooperation, some worked together to solve interesting riddles, and others wrote Mid-Autumn greeting cards by hand to give to each other. The students not only gained great joy but also won various exquisite Mid-Autumn-themed prizes. Laughter and cheers filled the scene, becoming the warmest melody on campus.
The most heartwarming part of the event was undoubtedly the messages of blessings on the wish wall. International students used Chinese, their native languages, or hand-drawn patterns to write down their longing for their hometowns, blessings for friends, and love for traditional Chinese culture. Each sincere message turned the wish wall into a cross-border “emotional link”.
This Mid-Autumn Festival garden party not only made international students feel the warmth of home in a foreign land but also opened a window for them to understand Chinese culture in a vivid and interesting way. It effectively promoted in-depth exchanges and friendship between Chinese and international students, and fully demonstrated the open, inclusive and harmonious campus cultural atmosphere of our university.
Text/Photography: Wang Tao, International Exchange Center
Review: Zhang Ziqian, International Exchange Center
