Chinese Cultural Experience Day Successfully Held as UCD Celebrates Global Week

On 26 September 2024, as part of UCD Global Week, the "Chinese Cultural Experience Day" event, was successfully held at UCD Confucius Institute. Themed "Under the Same Moon," the event celebrated the traditional Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival and showcased the richness of Chinese traditional culture.

The event officially kicked off at 1 p.m., with audiences participating in various interactive experiences at the UCD Confucius Institute, including knot weaving, paper cutting, ink blow painting, calligraphy demonstrations, and trying on traditional Chinese clothing. A fun chopstick ping-pong competition also attracted many participants. During the experience, attendees had the chance to taste a variety of traditional Chinese mooncakes, immersing themselves in the unique customs of the Mid-Autumn Festival and deepening their understanding of the cultural significance behind the holiday.

At the same time, a unique cultural performance was held in the lecture theatre 004.  The first performance featured Wang Yuxiang's "Sichuan Opera Face-Changing" act, followed by violinist Wang Junci's beautiful renditions of "Jasmine Flower" and "Edelweiss." Hernan Perez Mckay then delighted the audience with the humorous Chinese clap-talk performance titled "Pink Girl and Girl Pink", evoking laughter throughout the theatre. Jason Kah Meng Lee performed heartfelt renditions of "The Moon Represents My Heart" and "Glorious Days." The final performance by Yang Xuan, who played the yangqin (a traditional Chinese hammered dulcimer), featured pieces titled "Moonlight in the City" and "Moonlight in the Countryside," bringing the event to a perfect close.

This event not only showcased the diversity and unique charm of traditional Chinese arts but also conveyed the beauty of Mid-Autumn Festival culture through various performances. The theme "Under the Same Moon" symbolized the connection of cultures and emotions across time and space, highlighting the deep exchanges and resonances between different cultures in the era of globalization, and presenting a vision of diversity and harmony.

Many attendees expressed that the event offered a rare opportunity for them to experience and appreciate the unique charm of Chinese culture firsthand. Through the seamless combination of cultural experiences, traditional Chinese music performances, artistic displays, and festival customs, they gained a deeper understanding of the exchange and integration between Chinese and Western cultures.