Confucius Institute starts the New Year festive season

The Confucius Institute of BrSU celebrated an important holiday for the representatives of China - Winter Solstice Day, or Dongzhi, on December 22. Creative programme, master classes and dumpling making are integral parts of the event dedicated to this date. The prologue to the holiday was a beautiful dynamic dance with fans.

The holiday participants are students of Confucius Institute courses. Rector of BrSU Yuri Petrovich Golubev greeted the audience. "Winter Solstice Day has a special meaning in Chinese culture," said the rector. – In Chinese tradition it is a family holiday. Our Confucius Institute is a big friendly family. It is gratifying that on this very day representatives of China and Belarus have gathered together".

Fang Shengliang, Director of the Confucius Institute on the Chinese side, congratulated the audience on one of the most important holidays of the annual cycle. "We believe that the Dongzhi holiday will give hopes for strengthening the Belarusian-Chinese relations and initiate new ideas," he shared his opinion.

Yang Yang, a teacher of the Confucius Institute, told about the origins and customs associated with Dongzhi. The Chinese have many traditions connected with the Winter Solstice Day. The Confucius Institute has been implementing the most delicious one - making dumplings, or Jiaozi, for several years in a row. It is important to note that dumplings are eaten on Winter Solstice Day in the north of the Celestial Empire, but in the south, rice balls with various fillings, rice cakes and mutton soup are favoured.

The tradition dates back to the wise doctor Zhang Zhongjing, who gave dumplings with mutton, pepper and herbs to the poor during the cold season. To show the value of this dish in Chinese culture, the Confucius Institute held a short video competition for the Winter Solstice Day "The thick flavour of dumplings - warm friendship between China and Belarus". Its participants were awarded diplomas and certificates. Also during the event, awards for outstanding results in the study of Chinese language and culture were handed out.

"I have been a student of Chinese language courses since May this year," said Alesya Kazhevko. - During this short period I have obtained a good level of knowledge, which allows me to be a participant of the camp in China. Most of all I am interested in writing characters. The holidays at the Confucius Institute are always unforgettable".

This is how brightly the New Year season started at the Confucius Institute.