More than 30 expats from over 10 countries including the U.S., Denmark, South Korea, Thailand and Russia participated in a Dragon Boat Festival event in Suzhou on Friday afternoon.
The event began with a visit to the Song Brocade Culture and Art Space, where expats learned about the history of Song Brocade, a national intangible cultural heritage item with a history of over one thousand years.
Participants then sampled Dingsheng Cakes and smoked bean tea. The Dragon Boat Festival falls around the time when the national college entrance exam and the high school entrance exam take place. Dingsheng Cakes, carrying the auspicious meaning of success, have been extremely popular in recent years. Through a piece of cake and a cup of tea, the heartfelt blessings were conveyed without the need for words.
Under the guidance of an intangible cultural heritage inheritor, participants then tried their hands at making sachets with Song Brocade fabric. Filled with Chinese medicinal herbs, the sachets transformed Song Brocade from a museum exhibit into a meaningful keepsake.
Roma Kapur (center) makes a sachet.
"I love the experience and I love the way you are introducing your culture to us. You had this thread and needle , and how to do it, everything to be stuffed in, v ery elaborate . E verything is excellent. T his is the best way of introducing your culture to foreigners ," said Roma Kapur from India.
At the Suzhou Bay Digital Art Museum, the group immersed themselves in two exhibitions that reimagine traditional Chinese culture and legends through digital technologies.
Their last stop was the Z.Pilot Hi-tech Experience Space, where several participants took the stage to try the stringless guitar. AI-powered glasses, companion robots and other cutting-edge products further showcased Suzhou's vitality as a historical city that embraces innovation.
"I know the mooncakes and dragon boat racing. Actually, I typically come to Suzhou every year to watch the dragon boat races in SIP. But today I didn't know about other things like the traditional way of hanging things outside the door and the little lucky pouches we made today. These were the things I'd never experienced before," said Tommy , an American who has been in China for 15 years.
Tommy from the U.S.
Combining traditional culture with modern technology, the event offered foreign residents a deeper understanding of Dragon Boat Festival customs, Suzhou's intangible cultural heritage and the city's achievements in technological innovation, allowing them to experience the unique charm of a city where history and modernity coexist harmoniously.
The event was co-hosted by iSuzhou and Suzhou Bay Cultural Centre and supported by LearnWill Cultural Center, Soochow University and the Suzhou Campus of Renmin University of China.
By iSuzhou reporters Gao Yuqing, Jiang Shiying
Source：iSuzhou
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