Chinese Society Revives Cultural Events at University of Sunderland

The Chinese Society at the University of Sunderland, originally established in the 2022/2023 academic year, has made a strong comeback this year after a brief hiatus. Activities were paused last semester following the previous president’s return to China. However, the society has been reinvigorated under the leadership of new president Yihan Wang, who has worked tirelessly to restore and enhance the society’s events.

Recently, the society hosted two notable events that attracted significant participation: the Chinese Culture Experience Day and a Halloween Badminton Tournament. These activities aimed to engage students, introduce them to traditional Chinese culture, and foster a sense of community.

Chinese Culture Experience Day: A Taste of Tradition

The Chinese Culture Experience Day marked the society’s first major event of the academic year. Designed to welcome students and spark interest in the society, the event offered attendees a chance to immerse themselves in Chinese traditions. Participants sampled traditional Chinese snacks, sipped tea, and practiced calligraphy in a warm and friendly environment.

Yihan Wang, president of the Chinese Society, encouraged participation, stating, “Come to try some delicious Chinese snacks and do some beautiful calligraphy artwork. No experience is necessary.” She added, “Our head of the Cultural Department is very skilled at calligraphy, so you’ll learn alongside friends in a relaxed environment. It’s sure to be memorable.”

Chinese Culture Experience Day Poster. Photo Credits: Instagram account: @uoscs.sunderland

Participants Practicing Calligraphy. Photo Credits: Instagram account: @uoscs.sunderland

 Yunru Wan, Cultural Director of the Chinese Society, said, “Through the calligraphy, I want to let participants know that the Chinese script is actually both hieroglyphics and phonetic script.

“I also hope to share this experience with people so that they can appreciate the feeling of controlling power. Remember, controlling power is not simply showing the limit of your power.” 

Students praised the event’s inviting atmosphere. Mihai, an attendee, shared their enthusiasm: “I enjoyed that I got to write my name in Chinese. It was cool to find out that my name means something else in Chinese. I also liked trying Chinese snacks and desserts.” Chinese students expressed that participating in the event with their peers brought them comfort and familiarity, while they were also pleased to meet international friends interested in Chinese culture.

Reflecting on the success of the event, Wang said, “It’s very rewarding to see an event that truly shares Chinese culture with others.” She also expressed gratitude to local Asian supermarkets for their sponsorship, noting, “We often collaborate with local Asian supermarkets. Their support for this event was invaluable.”

Halloween Badminton Bash: Costumes and Camaraderie

Building on the momentum of the Culture Day, the society organized a Halloween-themed badminton tournament, aligning sports with seasonal festivities. The event featured a costume competition, where participants voted for the best costumes, with the top three winners receiving handmade glass pumpkin prizes.

President Yihan Wang, a second-year Ceramics and Glass student, explained the inspiration behind the unique prizes: “I created the glass pumpkins as part of my coursework and thought they would be perfect for the event. Each pumpkin took about an hour to make.”

Mr. Simionescu, one of the winners, shared his excitement: “The badminton event was awesome! I hadn’t played in a while, and dressing up as Walter White from Breaking Bad made it even more fun. I was hoping to get one of those pumpkin glass sculptures, so winning was a great surprise!”

Halloween Badminton Costume Prize: Glass Pumpkin. Photo Credits: Yihan Wang, President of the Chinese Society

Halloween Badminton Costume Winners. Photo Credits: Jiarui Liang

Caroline said it was a great chance to build friendships with her teammates.

“Overall, the attendance met my expectations. We welcome anyone interested to join the next event on November 11,” said planner Ms. Wang.

Focus on the Chinese Society: Social Media, Upcoming Events, and Membership Benefits

The Chinese Society of the University of Sunderland is active through multiple social media platforms to ensure that students are informed of upcoming events.

Before each event, the society will promote it through WeChat (Chinese social media app), WhatsApp and Instagram (account: @uoscs.sunderland), encouraging participants to provide feedback via group chats or email (uoscs.sunderland@gmail.com).

For the upcoming event, the Chinese Society will collaborate with the Malaysian and Indonesian Societies to host a Speed Friendmaking event on November 11th from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM at CitySpace, Sunderland University.

Speed Friendmaking Event. Photo Credits: Instagram account: @uoscs.sunderland

Yihan Wang, President of the Chinese Society, shared that the event aims to provide students from different cultural backgrounds with an opportunity to socialise and make new friends. By collaborating with other societies, the Chinese Society can reach a broader audience.

The goal of the Chinese Club has always been to hold more social activities, providing members with opportunities to make new friends. She also revealed the future event plan: “In addition, we will hold kung fu classes, Chinese tea culture experiences, and twice-monthly badminton sessions.

“We also plan to organize large events such as dumpling-making and New Year celebrations for major Chinese festivals like the Winter Solstice and Spring Festival.”

Membership for the Chinese Society is £3 per year, with members receiving exclusive discounts at three local businesses: C.I.Y Food Store, City Store, and Bar Shu Impression Chinese Restaurant.

When asked for advice for potential new members, Ms. Wang said: “No special advice—just join us! Let us know what activities you’re looking forward to, and we’ll try to include them in our plans.”