Foreigners show off their customized folding fans. [Photo/wenzhoudaily.cn]
A group of international volunteers living in Wenzhou, a coastal city in East China's Zhejiang province, was recently invited by the local government to experience some summer folk customs, local media outlets reported.
The foreigners were taught by Zhu Ming, an expert on Wenzhou folklore, about the changes in how people in the city cope with summer heat through food, clothing, housing and transportation.
For example, the foreigners learned about Wenzhou's tradition of offering free tea on the streets to passersby on dog days and tried some snacks such as bean jelly and herbal jelly, which are widely believed to help cool people off on hot days.
The foreigners also tried their hands at writing Chinese calligraphy on folding fans, which can also be used to cool off in the summer.
As members of the international volunteer team organized by the Wenzhou Overseas Media Center, the foreigners have played active roles in local volunteer services such as directing traffic, correcting foreign-language public signs, and promoting garbage sorting with the goal of making the city friendlier to foreigners.
