A new cultural program in Qingpu district offers international professionals an immersive, year-round journey into the richness of Chinese tradition.

Launched as the 2025 Foreign Experts Qingpu Exploration Series and Spring Rhyme Gathering: Folk Culture Experience Season, the event invites international experts living and working in Qingpu to experience Chinese folk culture through hands-on activities and seasonal events.

More than 30 foreign experts recently attended a Dragon Boat Festival-themed cultural market, where they explored a variety of traditional folk practices:

• Culinary arts: Learning baking techniques for traditional Chinese pastries
• Intangible cultural heritage: Experiencing the ancient Diancha (tea-whisking) ceremony
• Handicrafts: Making scented sachets imbued with symbolic meaning; Practicing intricate Jiangnan-style crochet techniques
• Light art: Admiring traditional water town-style lanterns

The program will run throughout the year with activities tailored to each season.

Summer: Digital intelligence and ecology tour

Participants will visit the Yangtze River Delta Oasis Tech Valley and Hemu Village. Activities will include seminars on artificial intelligence and semiconductor development, showcasing Qingpu's growing strengths in digital and ecological innovation.

Autumn: Rice-themed art and reunion event

Participants will explore Zhujiajiao Ancient Town by boat and attend literati-style gatherings. The season will spotlight rice-themed art activities, celebrating the poetic charm of "celebrating harvest in the fragrance of rice fields".

Winter: Rural vitalization dialogue

The winter edition is set to feature visits to the Xicen International Talent Hub, interactive experiences of traditional Lianxiang dance, and tastings of local Apo Tea. These warm, human-centered experiences aim to deepen cross-cultural understanding while showcasing the hospitality and vitality of Qingpu's countryside.

Source: Official WeChat account of Qingpu district government's information office at "iloveqingpu"