In order to implement the spirit of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the National and Provincial Education Conferences, fostering greater openness in education and active integration into “the Belt and Road Initiative”, the First Henan International Cultural Festival for Educators and Students From China and Abroad—— “Accompanying You In Yu: A Journey of Flowers and Melodies Along the Belt and Road” was successfully held on the morning of November 1st at Sias University.
Representatives from 25 universities across Henan province were invited to participate in this event. Kaifeng Vocational College (KFVC) was invited to showcase the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) project—Zhuxian Town Woodblock New Year Paintings. At the event, each university represented one or more countries for cultural display. KFVC was responsible for presenting Chinese culture and won the “Excellent Organization Award.”
KFVC won the “Excellent Organization Award”
Woodblock New Year Paintings are traditional folk art and cultural form in China with a history spanning over one thousand years. On May 20, 2006, Zhuxian Town Woodblock New Year Paintings, Yangliuqing Woodblock New Year Paintings, and 11 other cities were approved by the State Council to be included in the first batch of National Intangible Cultural Heritage lists.
KFVC has dedicated to establishing an intangible cultural heritage Zhuxian Town Woodblock New Year Paintings Master Workshop, integrating cultural inheritance with curriculum development. It has consistently committed to promoting the excellent traditional Chinese culture. Bai Xiaobao, the inheritor of Zhuxian Town Woodblock New Year Paintings, was also invited to this event. He crafted Woodblock New Year Paintings on-site, attracting a large number of domestic and international teachers and students.
Teacher Bai taught foreign students to craft Woodblock New Year Paintings
KFVC was responsible for the Chinese culture pavilion
Cao Xiaoyi served as China’s flag bearer at the opening ceremony
Cultural exchange is not a one-way dissemination but a multifaceted process of mutual learning and understanding. During the event, KFVC showcased the essence of Chinese culture in various ways. Through in-depth face-to-face interactions with international students, KFVC conveyed the value of win-win cooperation to students from different countries, strengthened their recognition of the excellent traditional Chinese culture, and laid a solid foundation for more cross-cultural exchange activities in the future.
