Cultural Immersion in China

Cultural Activities in China

Besides our lectures on China, Hutong School also organises frequent cultural activities to enrich the lives of our students. Through these activities, we aim to:

• Improve students' knowledge about Chinese culture
• Enhance the community spirit among Hutong School students
• Make new friends in China. For some of the activities, we will invite Chinese people to teach certain aspects of Chinese culture. In addition, students are also welcome to invite their own friends to join these activities.

Guqin, weiqi, calligraphy and Chinese painting are the heart and soul of Chinese culture. If you have not experienced these, then Hutong School helps to open the door. Incorporated in these activities, one can find the roots of the Chinese peoples' culture and philosophy.
Below you’ll find some examples and pictures of past activities organized by the Hutong School:

Traditional Chinese board games

Since ancient times, there have been three main board games in China: weiqi, xiangqi, and mahjong.

• Wei Qi (also known as ‘Go’): a very challenging game with very simple rules, requiring great intuition and strategic insights.

• Chinese Chess: somewhat different from the international Chess, Chinese chess can be a very surprising game.

• Mahjong

Chinese Cooking Lessons
Learn how to create different types of classic Chinese dishes. Being such a large country, China's different regions all have their own specialties. China's cuisine is a varied landscape bursting with flavor.
• Jiaozi (dumplings) night: students gather with our teachers and some Chinese guests to learn the great art of rolling beautifully shaped jiaozi
• Chao Cai: China has hundreds of different stir-fry dishes, called chao cai. Each region may have its own particular specialties. In addition, different areas may cook the same dish different ways. Students can come to learn how to make some of these dishes.

Tai Chi
Tai chi isn’t just a way for people to keep healthy, it is China’s oldest form of kungfu and can actually be used for self defense. These lessons show how Tai Chi and Chinese medicine are related.
A former Tai Chi champion visits Hutong School and shows us some great moves while explaining the philosophy behind Tai Chi.

Chinese Entertainment

Depending on the season, Hutong School organizes various activites that are just for fun. Students can experience various forms of modern Chinese entertainment in order to better understand Chinese life or culture, have fun, and also to give students a chance to meet each other outside of the classroom. Examples are: trips to Chinese hot-springs, skiing, or laser-tag, among other things.

Chinese Movie Nights

Once a month we organize a Chinese movie night to introduce masterpieces of Chinese cinema to our students. One of our teachers will also give a short introduction to improve students’ understanding of the movie. All movies shown have English subtitles.

Here are some examples of movies shown at Hutong School:
• “Kongfu”, by Zhou Xingchi
• “Beijing Bicycle”, by Wang Xiaoshuai
• “Not One Less”, by Zhang Yimou
• “The Road Home”, by Zhang Yimou
• “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”, by Lee Ang

Chinese Traditional Handicrafts

Learn various traditional Chinese handicrafts, such as paper cutting, kitemaking, miniature sculpture painting, Chinese knotting, or sculpting. Handicrafts such as these are steeped in Chinese peoples’ culture and history and make wonderful, unforgettable gifts. One handicraft per lesson. Price depends on craft.

The Art of Ink and Paper
Chinese calligraphy and paintings are not all alike; learn how to differentiate and appreciate them. Learn the different styles of calligraphy, and learn to paint your own work of art. In the end, you can take home your own art.

The Sounds of Silk and Wood
Chaqindao: a completely unique mix of Chinese tea ceremony, guqin lesson (the guqin is China’s most ancient instrument), and the Chinese philosophy of The Way.

Beijing Opera
Beijing Opera is one of China’s most well known forms of stage entertainment, though it is under-appreciated by many. Learn how Beijing Opera costumes are made, and learn how actors apply their makeup— and even do it yourself!

Trip to the Great Wall
Not to where the usual tour guides bring you, Hutong School gives you the opportunity to explore the most authentic sections of the Great Wall.