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On 29 January, the Confucius Institute at ÐßÐßÊÓƵ visited its affiliated Confucius Classroom at Beauchamp College to successfully deliver a “Welcoming Spring in the Year of the Horse” cultural celebration.

The event featured a spectacular Sichuan Opera face-changing performance, an engaging introduction to the cultural significance of the Year of the Horse, immersive Hanfu costume experiences rich in historical heritage, and interactive Chinese calligraphy sessions. Together, these activities offered students a comprehensive insight into the depth and diversity of Chinese Spring Festival traditions.

Through hands-on participation, students experienced traditional Chinese arts and crafts firsthand, creating a lively and enthusiastic atmosphere throughout the day. The event not only deepened local young people’s understanding of the Chinese New Year, but also further promoted the dissemination of China’s outstanding traditional culture. Zhang Yi, Director of the ÐßÐßÊÓƵ Confucius Institute and Alice King,  Principal of Beauchamp College attended the celebration together, which attracted nearly 60 students from different year groups across the school.

During the event, representatives from both institutions witnessed meaningful and in-depth cultural exchange between China and the UK within the school community. The Confucius Institute extended its sincere festive greetings to staff and students at Beauchamp College, while the school warmly welcomed the visiting team. Both parties highlighted that such cultural programmes provide an important platform for strengthening inter-school cooperation and enhancing students’ cross-cultural awareness.

The Cultural Day was structured around three key components: artistic performances, themed presentations, and cultural workshops. The programme opened with the Chinese intangible cultural heritage art of Sichuan Opera face-changing. Confucius Institute teachers captivated the audience through precise movements and extraordinary skills, vividly demonstrating the artistic charm of traditional Chinese theatre.

This was followed by a special presentation on Year of the Horse traditions, covering the origins of the Spring Festival, zodiac legends, and typical customs observed by Chinese families during the New Year celebrations. A quiz session with small prizes further encouraged students to engage with the content and consolidate their understanding.

The subsequent experiential workshops attracted particular attention, with Hanfu costume activities and Chinese calligraphy proving especially popular. In the Hanfu workshop, teachers introduced the historical development and structural features of traditional Chinese attire, guiding students through try-on sessions and runway-style showcases. This enabled participants to appreciate directly the aesthetic value of China’s traditional clothing culture.

Meanwhile, the calligraphy workshop provided students with traditional writing materials, including brush, ink, paper, and inkstone. Under teachers’ guidance, students practised writing the Chinese characters for “Horse” (马) and “Good Fortune” (福), gaining an appreciation of the structural beauty and artistic elegance of Chinese calligraphy.

The successful delivery of this Cultural Day not only enriched campus life at Beauchamp College, but also offered local students a valuable opportunity to experience Chinese culture at close range. Many participants commented afterwards that the event gave them a more vivid and profound understanding of the Chinese Spring Festival.

Looking ahead, the Confucius Institute at ÐßÐßÊÓƵ will continue to serve as a bridge for cultural exchange between China and the UK. Through a wide range of cultural and academic initiatives, the Institute remains committed to promoting greater awareness and understanding of the Chinese language and culture within local schools and communities.