During the past Mid-Autumn Festival or Zhong Qiujie (中秋节), the people of Zhejiang Province has enjoyed a big get-together with their families and friends. 

On that day, most Chinese people will gather, watch the full noon and enjoy the most famous delicacy - mooncakes, and many other yummy delicacies, with many other cultural activities, such as enjoying the public lantern displays, dance parties, traditional performances, and worship of the moon goddess and so forth. 

(Photo/Rakib, Zhejiang Ocean University)

The same celebrations go to the international students of Zhejiang Ocean University. Teamed with representatives of the volunteer network of Zhoushan City and teenage journalists of Zhoushan Daily, international students paid a visit to the local elderly people's homes and had enjoyed a rewarding mid-autumn festival with those elderly people. 

In China, respect for elders is often the basis for the way society is organized and has been at the foundation of Chinese culture and morality for thousands of years. According to the Chinese culture, older people are well respected for their wisdom, which is a kind of significant Confucian filial piety that encourages the younger generation to respect the elderly people and encourage the elders to teach the young their duties and manners.

(Photo/Rakib, Zhejiang Ocean University)

During their stay in the Zhoushan's elderly people's homes, the group of international students helped the elderly people make lanterns, mooncakes, so as to better approach the essence of Chinese culture. In the meantime, the students had also tried to create their own lantern riddles. 

Lantern Riddles, or known as Deng Mi (灯谜), are riddles written on lanterns, slips of paper attached to lanterns, or simply riddles displayed during Mid-Autumn festivals. The lantern riddles often contain messages of wisdom and good fortune, and usually, they are a fun way of practicing language and problem-solving skills. Hints are provided to indicate whether the answer is a person, place, thing, or idiom. 

(Photo/Rakib, Zhejiang Ocean University)

We live and work in increasingly global economies. Cross-cultural training or related activities will help individuals who are working or living in a multicultural environment. Most importantly, cross-cultural training ensures differing cultural values and norms are acknowledged and respected. It also prevents the undermining of cross-cultural relationships through misunderstanding. So in the case of Zhejiang Ocean University, the year-long cross-cultural activities held for international students will help them to better adapt to the local community. 

Author: Ye Ke

Correspondent: Liu Chaojie

Source: Zhejiang Ocean University