Jordanian students learn about Chinese Spring Festival culture

A teacher shows a piece of paper cutting work during a cultural event for the upcoming Chinese Spring Festival at Philadelphia University in Jordan in Amman, Jordan, on Jan. 16, 2024. (Photo by Mohammad Abu Ghosh/Xinhua)

AMMAN, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) -- A cultural event was held Tuesday at Philadelphia University in Jordan to showcase the traditions of China's Spring Festival, which falls on Feb. 10 this year.

The event was jointly held by the university's Confucius Institute and the China Cultural Center in Amman, attracting the participation of more than 300 students who were eager to learn about Chinese Spring Festival culture.

During the event, the Jordanian students tasted dumplings, the quintessential festive food of China, enjoyed a Chinese classical music performance, practiced Chinese calligraphy, and learned traditional Chinese paper cutting.

A student experiences the art of Chinese tea during a cultural event for the upcoming Chinese Spring Festival at Philadelphia University in Jordan in Amman, Jordan, on Jan. 16, 2024. (Photo by Mohammad Abu Ghosh/Xinhua)

Shi Wei, the cultural counselor at the Chinese embassy in Amman, said the Spring Festival, which sees families reunited, embodies traditional Chinese values of peace, harmony, and balance... were shared by Jordanians.

Shi added that the event has allowed students in Jordan to deepen their understanding of and interest in Chinese culture by closely experiencing the Spring Festival traditions by themselves.

A student shows traditional Chinese costume during a cultural event for the upcoming Chinese Spring Festival at Philadelphia University in Jordan in Amman, Jordan, on Jan. 16, 2024. (Photo by Mohammad Abu Ghosh/Xinhua)

The counselor noted that the Spring Festival has become an international festival, and an increasing number of people across the globe are joining the Chinese people in the festive celebrations.

In December last year, the Lunar New Year, or Spring Festival, was officially listed as a UN floating holiday in its calendar of conferences and meetings as of 2024.