Chinese Culture Experience Workshop – Chinese Knot and Paper Lantern

The 2017’s first culture activity of Confucius Institute at University of Latvia (LUCI) was held in Latvian National Museum of Art (Art Museum Riga Bourse) on January 8, 2017. This is one of the series of activities co-organized by the Art Museum and LUCI. Chinese Knot Workshop was hosted by Dong Fang and Wu Tiantian, while Paper Lantern Workshop was hosted by Wu Wei and Zeng Qingjun, LUCI Chinese teachers.

In the Chinese Knot Workshop, the hosts introduced the history of Chinese knot, as well as its structure and symbolic meaning. Then the hosts introduced the 2 basic knots: ping knot and dragonfly knot. Chinese knots symbolize unification, happiness and safety. They are very popular among Chinese public, especially during the Spring Festival, during which every household will hang the knots of various sizes in their houses. With the help of foam board and pins and under the guidance of the hosts, students began to knot. Some fast learners were able to show their knots and knot-bracelet to everyone.

At the same time, Paper Lantern Workshop was in progress in the adjacent studio. The hosts demonstrated the final product, introduced the Chinese tradition of hanging lanterns during Spring Festival and the lively, jubilant features of paper lanterns. On the hosts’ instruction, students made good use of color hard paper and cut it into different shapes and patterns. After folding, bending and sticking, hard paper was made into the shape of lanterns. The students learnt how to write and cut the character “春”, which means spring, and pasted it onto the lantern. The hosts were very satisfied with the students’ achievement.

The students of the workshop include senior citizen, white-collar workers, school students, and housewives with their children, aged from 3 to 70. With the deepening of Sino-Latvian exchange and communication, more and more Latvian citizens begin to have interest towards Chinese culture. With the medium of Chinese knot and paper lantern, the Chinese teachers of LUCI introduced Chinese festival culture and extended Chinese New Year wishes to the Latvian citizen.