Learn about sugar painting, an intangible cultural heritage item of Yuhu town. [Video provided to ezhejiang.gov.cn]
A group of expats and overseas Chinese visited Wencheng county's Yuhu town, a globally renowned slow city on Jan 24, to celebrate the upcoming Chinese New Year.
"Firecrackers send off the old year, and sweet wine and a spring breeze bring warmth into thousands of homes."
Perversi Simone, an Italian residing in Wencheng, recited some lyrics from a classic Chinese New Year-themed poem that he recently learned and shared some of his feelings.
"I feel that Chinese traditional culture is very extensive and profound. In four simple sentences, the poem describes a scene where every family sets off firecrackers and pastes Spring Festival couplets during the Chinese New Year," Simone said.
His show aroused the enthusiasm of other participants and everyone was eager to give it a try.
Perversi Simone (R1) paints a sugar heart for his wife. [Photo provided to ezhejiang.gov.cn]
The expats and overseas Chinese experienced a variety of Chinese New Year traditions, such as reciting classic poems, making fu posters and Spring couplets, solving lantern riddles, and making lanterns.
They also tried their hands at sugar painting, an intangible cultural heritage item that requires speed and strength to control a sugar-filled frying spoon and paint inside various shapes.
Under the guidance of artist Jiang Xuexin, Simone painted a heart for his wife. His daughter also tried to make one on her own.
"I hope that in the New Year, our life will be full of love, just as sweet as this sugar painting," Simone said.
The celebration was part of a series of international cultural exchange activities to be held in Wencheng county in 2022.
Yuhu town is located in Wencheng county, Wenzhou, East China's Zhejiang province. It was named a "slow city" by the Cittaslow International Alliance in Italy in June 2016.
A girl makes a fu poster with her mother. Fu means "fortune" or "good luck" in Chinese. [Photo provided to ezhejiang.gov.cn]
