Foreign students from Nantong Vocational University try their hand at performing Peking Opera. [Photo/WeChat account: ntjyntjy]

During this winter holiday, 573 foreign students stayed in Nantong, Jiangsu province and celebrated the Chinese New Year together, immersing themselves in the rich traditions of the Spring Festival and experiencing the charm of Chinese culture.

On Feb 14, representatives of international students in Nantong gathered along the banks of the Haohe River to participate in a parade, where they had the opportunity to experience local intangible cultural heritage and folk songs and dances.

Universities in Nantong also organized a variety of cultural activities for foreign students. For instance, at Nantong University, international students from over 20 countries joined a Spring Festival gala, where they engaged in activities such as putting up paper-cuts for window decoration, writing Spring Festival couplets, and performing songs and dances.

At Jiangsu College of Engineering and Technology and Jiangsu Shipping College, teachers guided foreign students in making dumplings and writing the Chinese character for fortune with a brush.

Nantong College of Science and Technology arranged for foreign students to experience traditional Chinese craftsmanship such as dyeing, lantern making, and conducting tea ceremonies.