Expats experience Spring Festival traditions at Suzhou classical garden

The Master of the Nets Garden in Suzhou was festively decorated this morning as over 20 expats from more than 10 countries, including the U.S., Russia, Germany, the U.K. and South Korea, participated in the "Suzhou International Day - Spring Festival Celebration in Classical Garden" event.

The event began with an introduction by Shen Jiandong, research curator at the Suzhou Museum and an expert on Chinese folklore, who explained the history and cultural significance of the Spring Festival, especially local traditions in Suzhou such as writing Spring Festival couplets, pasting paper cuttings and hanging lanterns. Simultaneous English interpretation was provided to ensure full understanding for foreign participants.

The expats then tried their hands at various intangible cultural heritage items. Under the guidance of calligrapher Liu Xunfeng, they wrote Spring Festival couplets and the Chinese character "Fu" (good fortune). Wang Xiao, an inheritor of Suzhou paper cutting (carving), demonstrated the technique and led participants in creating paper-cuts featuring auspicious patterns. Other activities included lantern making and stamp collecting, alongside displays of Taohuawu woodblock New Year prints, Suzhou lanterns and silk products.

Elena, who made a Suzhou lantern for the first time today, told the iSuzhou reporter, "I'm very happy to be here, and also because I have the chance to experience such a beautiful work of art that we don't get to see every day, and maybe we don't even know the history of the Suzhou lantern.

"Elena from Italy (Right)

Later, accompanied by an English-speaking guide, the guests strolled through the Master of the Nets Garden. The harmonious blend of pavilions, corridors and festive Spring Festival decorations allowed them to better appreciate the ingenuity behind Suzhou classical garden design.

"I feel really great and I don't just experience that - I really feel the culture today. The teacher here was really teaching us step by step and explaining us the meaning of each character. So I feel it's really interesting," said Mariia after the event.

Mariia from Russia (Left)

The event also marked the launch of the 2026 Spring Festival cultural exchange program at overseas Chinese classical gardens, titled "Galloping into the Spring Festival in the Garden." During the upcoming Spring Festival, over 10 overseas gardens in the U.S., Canada, Australia and New Zealand will host a series of activities featuring intangible cultural heritage displays, performances and interactive experiences, immersing global visitors in the festive atmosphere of the Chinese New Year.