Head over to Western Academy of Beijing (WAB) tomorrow (March 25) for the kickoff of Cultural Canvas. They’re firing up an actual steamroller for art!

This is your chance to witness the incredible spectacle of massive, hand-carved linocut designs being pressed onto paper by a full-size steamroller right on campus. It’s art on an epic scale, and you won’t want to miss it!

But this event is about so much more than the thrill of the roll. The stunning prints you see and can purchase on-site are the centerpiece of a project with a powerful mission. “The purpose of printing these artworks was to fund a project called Cultural Canvas,” a WAB student shared. Students at WAB are collaborating with an African traveling teacher to bridge continents through creativity. Together, they are working to help children in Uganda and the Congo to improve their digital literacy while uniting around a collective passion for art.

This collaboration is already sparking a beautiful cultural exchange. Inspired by the project, a student in Uganda, Maria Tereza, has begun using tablets to create content that shares her heritage. In one tutorial, she shows the world how locals in her community weave traditional baskets. Now, students at WAB are following her lead, using her instructions to weave artworks of their own, which proves that creativity knows no borders.

By purchasing a print, you aren’t just taking home a unique piece of art; you are directly supporting this incredible initiative. All proceeds go toward supporting Nyarutembe School in Uganda, helping to provide resources and digital literacy programs for students there.

The exhibition runs from March 25 through April 13 at Hub Link at WAB, so come celebrate the opening day, grab a print, and see how art is connecting kids across the globe.

Images: WAB

To celebrate Lantern Festival today (March 3), families gear up for the sweet traditions of enjoying glutinous rice dumplings. Both yuanxiao and tangyuan share the spotlight during this festive time, so what sets them apart? These desserts essentially look the same and are made of the same ingredients, right? Let’s delve into the delightful world of yuanxiao and tangyuan to unravel the flavors, traditions, and cultural significance behind these iconic Chinese dumplings.

It all comes down to three things: region, method, and the filling.

The dumplings, known as yuanxiao in northern China and as tangyuan in southern China, originated over 2,000 years ago during the Han dynasty. The terms are often used interchangeably, but regional differences persist.

Both yuanxiao and tangyuan feature glutinous rice flour dough, creating a chewy and slightly sticky texture.

The northern yuanxiao tend to have a thinner outer layer and are often filled with sweet fillings like sesame paste, red bean paste, or sweetened osmanthus flowers. Tangyuan, on the other hand, typically has a thicker skin and can be filled with a broader range of ingredients, including peanuts, walnuts, or savory fillings like minced meat. The fillings in tangyuan also tend to be smoother than those of yuanxiao.

Tangyuan are prepared by making sticky dough wrappers, stuffing in the stuffing of your choice, and making small balls. Yuanxiao, on the other hand, are created with a harder filling, and the sticky rice flour is then rolled onto the filling.

Beyond their culinary appeal, yuanxiao and tangyuan hold deep cultural significance. The round shape of the dumplings symbolizes family unity, emphasizing the importance of togetherness during the Lantern Festival. Enjoying these sweet dumplings is a way for families to express their wishes for a harmonious and complete life.

Whether you’re savoring the round and white yuanxiao in the north or relishing the colorful and diverse tangyuan in the south, these delightful dumplings bring warmth and joy to the Lantern Festival celebrations. And the best part? They’re easily found at every supermarket around town.

As families gather to enjoy these sweet treats, they not only indulge in the delicious flavors but also partake in age-old traditions that celebrate unity, happiness, and the vibrant tapestry of Chinese culture.

Images: Mina Yan, FreePik

Last holiday season, Beijing mom Anna Zhu recommended an eco-friendly Christmas tree rental service for the holiday. And now, as the holiday season comes around again, you can enjoy the festivities with a Christmas tree in your living room without the guilt of knowing you’ve purchased more things that’ll soon end up in the dump.

With this rental service, you can have a beautiful Christmas tree delivered right to your apartment within just two days, and the best part is the shipping is free anywhere in Beijing. When you’re ready to send the tree back, give them a call and they’ll come collect it. There’s a fee of RMB 150 for the pick up.

They’ve got trees of all sizes, and the price varies depending on what size you choose. “My friend Cat has been getting her family’s Christmas tree from this supplier for years, so I knew they were reliable. This year is extra special because our daughter is finally old enough to get excited about Christmas, so we decided to treat ourselves to a real tree to make the season even more festive.

We chose a tree via pictures the seller sent through WeChat, and it was delivered (free of charge!) in a lovely pot the following day. On top of the usual excitement around decorating the tree, we’re enjoying the added bonus of teaching our kid to care for plants by watering it together every other day. Our tree is definitely a memorable highlight of this year’s holiday season!” Anna shares with jingkids.

Pricing:
150cm – RMB 525
200cm – RMB 700
250cm – RMB 900
300cm – RMB 1,500

Imagine the convenience of not having to worry about lugging a heavy tree home or dealing with the disposal after the holiday. Once the Christmas festivities are over, the service doesn’t end. The team will come back to pick up the tree and replant it, allowing it to continue its growth journey. This way, you get to enjoy the holiday spirit with a real, fresh Christmas tree while also being environmentally friendly.

The service’s Christmas tree farm in Shunyi is tended to all year round by the company, allowing the tree that brings your family so much love and joy during the holiday season to continue to grow and flourish.

It’s a hassle-free and sustainable option that makes celebrating Christmas in Beijing even more special. So, this season, consider renting a Christmas tree, and be part of this innovative and eco-conscious trend.

 To get in touch, add Mr. Wang Xu on WeChat (ID: Wx1018761545) or scan his QR code below. Please note that he doesn’t speak English but is happy to chat via the WeChat translation function.

Images: Anna Zhu, Pexels, Wang Xu

Have you noticed how mooncakes are starting to pop up, like, EVERYWHERE again? But aside from giving and receiving mooncakes, how much do you really know about the Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival? This holiday is a traditional Chinese festival celebrated on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month. This year, it happens to fall on Oct 6. It is a time for family reunions when people gather to admire the full moon, which is believed to be at its brightest and roundest on this day.

But where do mooncakes fit in all of this?

The tradition of eating mooncakes dates back to ancient times. Legend has it that during the Yuan Dynasty, the Han people were oppressed by the Mongolian rulers. In order to revolt against the regime, revolutionaries hid messages in mooncakes and distributed them among the people which later led to the tradition of gifting friends and families with mooncakes. On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, when people cut open the mooncakes and found the messages, they rose up in rebellion. After the success of the revolution, eating mooncakes during the Mid-Autumn Festival became a way to commemorate the event.

Over time, mooncakes have evolved into various flavors and styles. They are typically round, symbolizing reunion and completeness. Mooncakes are filled with different ingredients such as lotus seed paste, red bean paste, nuts, salted egg yolks, and chocolates. They are not only a delicious treat but also an important part of the Mid-Autumn Festival tradition.

This is a time for family gatherings and moon-gazing, and the tradition of eating mooncakes has a rich history and cultural significance. Whether your family is here in Beijing with you or back home in another country, take this long holiday to appreciate the people who’ve made your life that much richer.

Images: Pexels, Freepik

It’s a scenario many parents recognize: A well-meaning neighbor, family friend or local adult spots your child and teases, “Hey, did you break my favorite mug? I saw you near it earlier!” For little kids, unaccustomed to such playful jabs, the moment can be disorienting. Their eyes widen, they freeze or they rush to deny it – unsure if the adult is joking or serious.

My daughter’s first brush with this left her tongue-tied and running to hide behind me. My husband’s colleague, grinning, accused her of “breaking” his claw machine that wasn’t plugged in to begin with because he saw her playing with the buttons. She stood there, red-faced, struggling to find words. Later, she asked, “Why did he say that? I didn’t do it!” It was a teachable moment: How do we help kids navigate these interactions without feeling small or scared?

I realized the answer wasn’t just to tell her, “They’re joking.” That might dismiss her feelings of confusion or unfairness. Instead, I wanted to give her a tool – something concrete she could say to regain control. So, I taught her: “If someone says you did something you didn’t, ask them to prove it.”

It’s a simple phrase, but powerful. “Prove it” shifts the dynamic. It turns the tables gently, without aggression, by placing the burden of evidence back on the accuser. For a child, it’s empowering: instead of feeling defensive, they’re asking for facts. And it works whether the accusation is a joke or a serious one.

Playful teasing, of course, often comes from a place of affection. Adults may see it as a way to connect, testing a child’s reaction with lighthearted banter. But kids, especially little ones, don’t always grasp the tone. To them, an accusation – even a silly one – feels like a challenge to their honesty. Teaching them to respond with “Prove it” isn’t about being rude; it’s about teaching them to advocate for themselves.

Since that conversation and many practices at home, my daughter has used the phrase a few times. The same guy did it again a few days later. “I can’t find my phone. You took it didn’t you?” he teased her at dinner one night. Instead of turned red faced like the first time he joked, she replied with a big, strong “Prove it!” and I could see the surprise on his face. He gave her a thumbs up, and that was it.

Parenting is full of small lessons that build big skills. This one – teaching a child to ask for proof when accused – does more than defuse teasing. It plants seeds of critical thinking: Don’t accept blame without evidence. It fosters self-respect: My word matters, and so do the facts. And it reminds kids that even when adults are playful, their feelings of fairness and safety deserve to be taken seriously.

Images: Freepik

Since moving into a new community that has a little playground, we have been taking our toddler there daily to blow off some steam. While this has been a wonderful opportunity for her to make friends and start learning Chinese, it has also been a valuable learning experience for us as parents as Chinese playground expectations and politics can be more intense than actual politics. Between figuring out cultural norms and navigating unspoken etiquette while also tiptoeing around possible passive-aggressive parenting, I am here for you.

Essentials: a LOT of snacks (for sharing), mosquito spray, a water bottle, toys you don’t mind losing to the playground abyss, a bike/scooter … oh … and a wicked sense of humor!

1. Share or be judged eternally

Being a collectivist culture, Chinese people tend to see the playground as one of those big glass-top-turning dinner tables (转盘餐桌 – zhuànpán cānzhuō) everything is placed upon and then passed around. If your child clings to their toy for dear life, you might be getting some funky looks. This is not simply a sense of politeness but a much more deeply rooted practice that encourages communal harmony and collective enjoyment. It is also important to note that they don’t enforce this aggressively, but rather paint it as natural and joyful. Here are some phrases you can choose from and learn in order to join in on the harmony:

我们一起玩吧！– Wǒmen yīqǐ wán ba!
(Let’s play together! / Let’s all play!)

一起玩吧！– Yīqǐ wán ba!
(Play together! Shorter version of the previous one; very common)

分享玩具。– Fēnxiǎng wánjù.
(Share the toys. Direct instruction for sharing, simple and clear)

大家一起玩。– Dàjiā yīqǐ wán.
(Everyone plays together.)

轮流玩。– Lúnliú wán.
(Take turns playing.)

可以一起玩吗？– Kěyǐ yīqǐ wán ma?
(Can we play together? / Can I play too?)

给朋友玩一下。– Gěi péngyǒu wán yīxià.
(Give it to the friend to play with for a little while. Encouraging a child to share with another specific child)

交换玩。– Jiāohuàn wán.
(Let’s swap and play. / Trade toys to play.)

好朋友，一起玩。– Hǎo péngyǒu, yīqǐ wán.
(Good friends play together.)

Pro tip: Take some decoy, inexpensive toys that your child has lost interest in and offer them to other kids in advance if you know your toddler still struggles a bit with sharing. Be prepared that those toys might not come back home with you, and brush it off as a tribute to the playground gods. Often, Chinese parents will encourage their kids to give your child their toy as a gift, but most of the time it’s just cultural politeness. If you’re going to let your kid accept the gift, it is polite to give something to the other kid in return. People especially tend to be extra giving to foreign children as a way of showcasing Chinese hospitality. Sometimes, we are ambushed with kids handing our daughter toys and snacks all at the same time, to the point where she doesn’t know what to take or leave.

2. The Snack-Exchange

Aside from the necessary water bottle that forever hugs the side of ayi or grandma’s hip, Chinese families always enter the battlefield equipped with ample snacks. We used to never bring snacks ourselves, considering we were a few steps away from home and usually came right after meal times, but snack-bringing became a practice we quickly learned to adopt! If your little one is like ours and will gladly accept anything edible handed to her, then best be sure you will be expected to offer snacks in return to the friendly giver. There are however, some unwritten rules you need to abide by and consider:

1. Don’t bring outlandish snacks like kale chips or quinoa puffs, and don’t bring anything too unhealthy, like chocolate. Stick to local crowd-pleasers like fruits – but single-serving stuff like grapes or bananas. Germ-sensitive parents are cautious about their kid taking food prepared in other people’s homes, and it puts the parents in awkward positions to make their kid turn it down. Just stick to local crunchy staples like 旺旺仙贝 (Wàngwàng Xiānbèi). Fun fact: Wàngwàng means prosperity, which is quite cute when considering the sharing culture that they embody.
2. People won’t usually consider allergies or choking hazards, so keep a watchful eye, especially when the crowd descends, if your child has any known allergies or is still small enough to possibly choke on a windpipe-sized snack. Be wary of just snatching snacks away preemptively that seem inappropriate, as the snack sharing culture embodies trust and generosity, rather than making the giver “lose face.” Be gentle about your approach and check out some of the useful phrases below. Tip: If you’re really uncomfortable about something your kid took, you can always tell a little fib and say your kid is allergic: 他/她过敏 – Tā guòmǐn (“He/she’s allergic”).
3. Bring a few extra snacks that you can hand out and a little bag for trash, as you are bound to be handed quite a few half-eaten things by your toddler, who has sampled the buffet of generous offerings and only really enjoyed a select few of them. Here are some Taobao links to snacks that have worked well for us and that local kids love.
   

Helpful phrases:

Offering a snack (polite & safe):

吃这个吧，安全的。–  Chī zhège ba, ānquán de.
(Meaning: “Eat this, it’s safe.”)

Refusing politely (general):

谢谢！他现在不饿。– Xièxie! Tā xiànzài bú è.
(Meaning: “Thank you! He/She isn’t hungry right now.” A gentle, common refusal.)

谢谢！我们会在家吃 – Wǒmen huì zàijiā chī.
Meaning: “We’ll eat it at home.”)

Warning of choking hazard (urgent but polite):

小心！这个会卡住喉咙！– Xiǎoxīn! Zhège huì kǎzhù hóulóng!
(Meaning: “Careful! This can get stuck in his/her throat!”)

Warning of allergy (essential & direct):

他/她对这个过敏！不能吃！– Tā duì zhège guòmǐn! Bùnéng chī!
(Meaning: “He/She is allergic to this! Can’t eat it!”)

Encouraging safe sharing (to another child):

给他/她一小块吧。– Gěi tā yī xiǎo kuài ba.
(Meaning: “Give him/her a small piece.” Useful if a child offers your toddler something too big.)

Bonus Phrase (If your child grabs):

先问一下！– Xiān wèn yīxià!
(Meaning: “Ask first!” Simple reminder before taking.)

Physical friendliness

From being able to express that your little one doesn’t like their hair touched to avoiding accidentally offending your Chinese playground pals and all the many “wòshǒus” (handshakes) in between, one can never be too equipped for navigating cross-cultural physical contact differences. Here are some of the physical contact occurrences to avoid and some helpful phrases when trying to set your boundaries without becoming the playground pariah.

Culturally inappropriate:

1. Hugs and kisses: While many cultures consider this inappropriate as well, many of us like to express kindness with hugs, not to mention kids who innocently want to hand out kisses to their new friends. In China, however, this is only done by extremely close family members, and you and your babies are better off sticking to handshakes.
2. Eye contact and touching simultaneously: Wait, what!? Eye contact combined with touch is often considered confrontational in Chinese culture, so if your child likes to examine their new friend’s eye color while clinging to their arm, it might be a good idea to intervene and distract them with a fun high-five (击掌 jīzhǎng) instead.

With our own cultural and personal physical affection preferences, it is important to enforce boundaries without ruining potential friendships. In China, a grandma’s arm grab isn’t a kidnapping attempt, it’s a 热情安检 (rèqíng ānjiǎn) – a “passion security check.” Her mission? To verify your child’s chubby cheeks are 100 percent real. Understandably, this might upset your toddler. Along with fending off the unwanted hair touchers, these phrases can help you be polite about your own no-nos.

Useful phrases:

Gentle refusal:
抱歉，但她不喜欢别人碰她的头发？– Bàoqiàn, dàn tā bù xǐhuān biérén pèng tā de tóufǎ.
“Sorry, but she doesn’t like people touching her hair.”

Politely declining hair touching:

请不要摸头发，谢谢！– Qǐng búyào mō tóufa, xièxie!
“Please don’t touch her hair. Thank you!”

Explaining cultural differences:

孩子不太习惯这样接触，谢谢理解！– Háizi bú tài xíguàn zhèyàng jiēchù, xièxie lǐjiě!
“The child isn’t very used to this kind of contact—thanks for understanding!”

If a child is grabbed/hugged:

她喜欢自己玩。– Tā xǐhuan zìjǐ wán.
“She likes to play on her own.”

Granny grabs:

谢谢您喜欢他！他有点害羞 – Xièxie nín xǐhuan tā! Tā yǒudiǎn hàixiū.
“Thanks for liking him! He’s a bit shy.”

Raising little ones in Beijing paints life in vivid, unexpected colors and slowly attunes us to rhythms of a culture not quite our own. It’s in the whirl of playground chaos, the grace of redirected touches, and the shared crunch of 旺旺仙贝 that we learn to hold boundaries gently, receive generosity openly and remix belonging in the in-between. And while it can feel messy, discovering your own blend of “fitting in” versus remaining authentic? That’s the quiet art of expat life: the freedom to parent differently, yet deeply.

Images: Janita Shahsavari

Whether you are a seasoned veteran expat or as fresh in the ‘Jing as this season’s mozzies, we can all agree that living in Beijing is a colorful, surprising, and exciting experience. No matter how much research you have done in advance, we have all encountered cultural differences that blew us away, and the differences between our child-rearing ways are no different.

If you plan on having babies, have babies, or even if you don’t, here are some of our favorite (and not-so-favorite) cultural occurrences when it comes to little ones to look out for during your time in Beijing!

Bummed OUT!

Quite literally, in fact. It is not uncommon to see babies or toddlers running around wearing split pants (开裆裤 kāidāngkù), which, if you haven’t seen them yet, are pants with an open crotch, more often than not without any diapers! So, yes, you have a little baby bum wiggling about in public. And while my first split-pants sighting made me do a double-take, the Chinese (especially grandparents) have quite logical reasons for this practice. Besides saving on the costs and waste of diapers, an air-dried bum prevents diaper rash, especially during the hot summer months, and they believe it encourages early potty training by getting the baby used to squatting and doing their business, not in a diaper. Consequently, this also means that it is completely normal for someone to hold their baby in a squatting position over a trash can, drain, or bush while they go potty.

As this practice is so different from the culture of most expats in Beijing, people come across this and react in all kinds of ways. Some have called it unsanitary and unsafe; others applaud the frugality and sustainability. I have even experienced foreigners joining in on the bare-butt action with their own babies! What do you think? Yay or nay?

Locked In!

Giving birth is such a monumental moment that, of course, there are a multitude of practices around this milestone all over the globe. While the Huichol in Mexico have the woman tug on a rope tied to her partner’s testicles with every contraction, and some people dressed as devils jump over infants in Spain to absorb original sin and protect the babies from evil or sickness, in China they have the confinement month or 坐月子 (zuòyuèzi). This means that the new mom is not allowed to go outside, bathe or shower (although those things are less common now that there is AC and blow dryers), eat or interact with anything cold, and will often hire a confinement nurse (or yuesao) to help take care of her and the baby. For those who don’t want to hire a confinement nurse but still want to do a traditional confinement month, there are confinement centers 月子中心 (yuèzi zhōngxīn) that offer the same service, but you get your own private hotel-like suite where you can rest and a nurse is always on call to help take care of your newborn.

Expat moms often suffer at the hands of this practice, as Chinese locals will sometimes criticize, lecture, or even scold them when they do something considered a “no-no” during the confinement month. I have been hit on the shoulder before by an old lady for being outside with my baby within the first month, while other moms have been told by their ayis or Chinese in-laws to immediately cease their showering ways. Of course, eating an ice cream is completely out of the question! (Though that is a rule I will be breaking repeatedly after giving birth this summer, for sure!) While some of the customs might seem annoying or unnecessary, there are also perks! If you registered your birth at the local clinic in order to get the free vaccines and check-ups for your baby (available to absolutely any pregnant mom), then you will also benefit from two medical professionals – one for you and one for your baby – coming to your home for a check-up.

Since moms are expected to remain in pajamas and not do any physical activity during confinement month, you don’t even have to get dressed! They will come and see that everything is progressing normally, ask you a few questions (in our case via translator), and finally give you some tips and information about caring for a newborn – all for free!

Bundle Up!

No matter the weather, hot or cold, Chinese babies in Beijing are always in layers and layers of clothes and blankies…even in July. If I had RMB 1 for every time a Chinese person (of any age and gender) told me that my baby is cold and I need to put more clothes on her, I would probably be able to buy all the naughty ice creams I’ll need during my first month postpartum.

The biggest struggle for expat parents – particularly those with a Chinese partner or who have hired a yuesao or ayi – is the endless cycle of you taking extra layers off your baby, and them putting them back on again. Anyone who has lived in China long enough knows that cold is basically the enemy. From drinking hot water (to cure ANY issue short of death) to eating food as soon as it is cooked and still scalding, locals will do whatever they can to avoid the cold – even when we expats think there isn’t any cold to avoid.

100 Days Down!

While some of the cultural differences you’ll experience in Beijing are cute, some are beneficial, and others possibly frustrating, this next tradition is something I love about being here. In ancient times, when child mortality rates were quite high, reaching 100 days was cause for celebration. Despite it not being such a feat anymore, the tradition, like the babies, lives on! And who doesn’t like an excuse to have a party? The family will often shower the baby with gifts like baby items, gold jewelry, and hongbao (red envelopes).

This is often also when they give the baby their first haircut – to encourage thicker hair regrowth. Included in this is a super sweet tradition of making a calligraphy brush with the cut hair. There are plenty of shops (also on Taobao) that will inexpensively make the brush for you and frame it with wishes of prosperity written in Chinese calligraphy, along with the baby’s name, which makes an adorable keepsake. In my culture, we also sometimes keep a lock of hair from the first haircut. Turning it into a framed calligraphy brush definitely makes it easier to keep and cherish.

First Birthday, Final Bearing!

Another very cool tradition is what Chinese families do with their babies on their first birthdays: the item grab, or 抓周 (zhuāzhōu). The baby is placed on a mat surrounded by items that represent careers, and whichever item the baby grabs could then predict what their future career path or traits will be. The items and their represented careers could include:

Pen = scholar
Money = wealth
Stethoscope = doctor
Garlic = savvy businessman
Microphone = performer

There are zhuazhou kits online that include a red cloth and the basic essentials for different career paths.

Things to consider if you are invited to a zhuazhou: It is customary to bring a sincere gift. While some more modern parents take the tradition lightly, many families still take the item grabbing very seriously, so avoid laughing at the results or making the tradition out to be silly. Go the extra mile and offer a true Chinese congrats by saying, “祝宝宝健康成长” (Zhù bǎobǎo jiànkāng chéngzhǎng) – “Wishing the baby a healthy growth.”

From how we dress to what we believe, when encountering different cultures, we are bound to find differences that intrigue us. One of the great benefits of expat life is seeing all the different ways things can be done, and sometimes we even end up adopting a few practices into our own ways of doing things. Let us know in the comments which of the cultural confetti shocked or impressed you the most!

Images: Stock, Janita Shahsavari

From Apr 9 to 20, “A Kite That Follows Dreams: The Art and Culture Exhibition of Traditional Kites,” initiated and organized by Jiang Cheng Linkuan, was successfully held at the Art Gallery of the Canadian International School of Beijing (CISB). This student-led cultural event featuring independent curation, exhibition setup, and engaging presentations not only showcased the profound heritage of China’s millennia-old kite culture but also displayed large-scale kites from countries including Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, the US, Switzerland, and Germany.

Festival-goers could purchase cultural merchandise, including traditional-style kites, fridge magnets, DIY kite-making kits, kite ornaments, souvenir gift boxes, and handcrafted gifts.

All proceeds from the event – totaling RMB 10,800 – were donated to the Beijing Tongxinyuan Charity Foundation’s “Zhi’ai” Special Fund to aid victims of the Myanmar earthquake. Through innovative approaches, the festival bridged cultural exchanges between China and the world, becoming a hot topic both on and off campus.

The event revolved around cultural exploration, blending knowledge with hands-on experience. Jiang Cheng Linkuan and his peers studied records of wooden kites in “Mozi·Lu Questions” and analyzed Cao Xueqin’s Feiyi Zhai Manuscripts and A Study of Southern Kites and Northern Kites, exploring kites’ evolution from folk art to military tools. CISB’s physics class was transformed into an aerodynamics lab, where students and teachers dissected the scientific principles behind kite flight. And in art class, Dunhuang flying apsaras patterns, traditional ink painting, and pop art styles merged in kite designs, showcasing a fusion of cross-cultural aesthetics.

At the opening ceremony, CISB headmaster James McCory delivered a keynote speech, praising the festival as an outstanding achievement. Secondary school principal David Bremner also emphasized the event’s significance and far-reaching impact. The festival allowed over 1,200 students and faculty from 50+ nationalities, as well as numerous parents, to experience China’s intangible cultural heritage and the global history of kites.

Jiang Cheng Linkuan, the festival’s organizer, shared his three-month journey of meticulous preparation, from researching historical texts on kite origins, styles, and applications in science, military, and the arts to three visits with Mr. Miao Bogang, the fourth-generation inheritor of Cao-style kites, to learn about Beijing’s “Swallow Kite” craftsmanship. He also traveled to Tianjin Yangliuqing Kite Co. to study soft-wing kite-making techniques and collaborated with Shandong Weifang Kite Co. to design kites representing participating nations.

Guo Hongli, a national intangible cultural heritage inheritor of Weifang kites, demonstrated traditional crafting techniques, emphasizing precision and unveiled a breathtaking 30-meter “Dragon Soaring” kite, the festival’s centerpiece.

On Apr 10, the students launched their DIY creations on the CISB lawn. As CISB teacher Charles Wu noted, “These kites carry Gen-Z’s reinterpretation of heritage.”

Aligned with the IB’s hands-on learning philosophy, the project integrated economics (charity sales), media (documentary filming), and literature (kite-themed poetry, e.g. “Reeling strings, we are all dream chasers”).

Mentor Liu Bing remarked, “Education transcends textbooks – this festival taught cultural stewardship and project leadership.” Plans are underway to adapt the event into a curriculum module, with future exhibitions at Beijing’s 798 Art Zone and CISB’s sister schools in Shenyang, Shenzhen, and Hefei.

As the sun began to set, the kites descended onto CISB’s lawn. Yet for these students, the journey of cultural innovation had just begun – their dreams, like the kites, now soaring to new heights.

Images: CISB Visual Arts Club

Each year, the French-speaking countries represented in Beijing come together for a celebration that’s all about culture, gastronomy, and friendship. Mark your calendars for this Sat, March 29, as Lycée Français International Charles de Gaulle de Pékin transforms into a lively festival of Francophone culture.

Come together for a day of laughter, discovery, and shared passion for the French language and culture, and enjoy a wonderful opportunity for students, parents, teachers, and friends to connect and celebrate together.

À bientôt for more unforgettable moments!

Find it:
Lycée Français International Charles de Gaulle de Pékin
3 Xinjin Lu, Chaoyang District

Images: Lycée Français International Charles de Gaulle de Pékin