Students experience tie-dyeing at Fotang Ancient Street. [Photo/jinhua.com.cn]

Ten international students from the International School of Medicine at Zhejiang University visited Fotang Ancient Street in Yiwu, a county-level city in Jinhua, Zhejiang province, on Nov 21.

Hailing from countries including Pakistan, Indonesia, and Myanmar, these freshmen were eager to explore the historical street and participate in intangible cultural heritage activities.

The students learned the traditional art of tie-dyeing: soaking cloth bags, twisting and balling them, and dipping them into dye to create unique patterns, enthusiastically showcasing their handmade tie-dye creations to one another.

In the afternoon, at the Wuju Experience Hall, the students donned traditional opera costumes for the first time, immersing themselves in the charm of Wuju, a classic Jinhua opera form.

Students wear Wuju Opera costumes. [Photo/jinhua.com.cn]

Many were captivated by this art form and drawn to the dragon-patterned costumes, a symbol of Chinese culture deeply rooted in their hearts, as they posed in classic Wuju Opera postures.

Fotang Ancient Street, with its well-preserved architecture and rich history, is a hub of cultural heritage. It features over 20 ICH projects, including traditional techniques for making pear-syrup candy, bamboo weaving, and paper-cutting.

The event aimed to bring international students closer to Chinese culture while fostering cross-cultural exchange between students and residents.