International students from Turkey, Tajikistan, and other countries immersed themselves in Chinese New Year traditions at a vibrant rural market in Jiaozhou, Qingdao, on Jan 27.

They tried writing Spring Festival couplets, steaming buns, and tasting tanghulu (sugared hawthorns on a stick), while exploring the lively Mawan village market filled with festive goods and cheerful greetings.

The highlight was a hands-on workshop in Luojia village, known for its traditional tanggua (malt candy) making — a local intangible cultural heritage.

One inheritor of this traditional custom explained a popular folk saying about tanggua and its cultural meaning as a means of praying for a sweet and prosperous new year. The students gathered around the worktable, watching key steps like boiling, pulling and shaping the sugar. They marveled at the changing color and gloss of the syrup as the skilled artisan stretched it. Under the artisan's guidance, the students tried their hand at shaping the candy for themselves.

"The bustling market and sweet candy made me feel like part of a Chinese family celebrating the Chinese New Year — it's a thousand times more vivid than books!" said one student from Tajikistan.

Han Tonggen, a local official, noted that such activities offer a genuine platform for cultural exchange. The event aimed to enhance young people’s understanding of Chinese culture through immersive experiences.

The students try their hand at making traditional malt candy. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Several foreign students immerse themselves in Chinese New Year traditions at a vibrant rural market in Jiaozhou, Qingdao, on Jan 27. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]