With the Snake succeeding the Dragon (Loong) on Wednesday 29th January, we are now embracing the Chinese New Year, or 春节 (Chūnjié, Spring Festival) in Chinese communities – 春节快乐！Happy Spring Festival!
Lanyon Building in Red
To mark the Chinese New Year 2025 celebrations on Wednesday, 29th January — the first day of the Year of the Snake — Queen’s Lanyon Building was officially illuminated in red.
The Success Lion Dance Club, led by Master Alan Lui, delivered a spectacular lion dance performance, a traditional way of celebrating the Spring Festival in Chinese communities. The lions danced together and interacted with the audience, spreading blessings and good fortune for the year ahead.
Students, staff members, and their families were invited to join group photographs at the end, posing alongside the lions.
Drawing the Snake Competition
Congratulations to the following winners! A full exhibition can be viewed from Drawing the Snake Competition page.
Children 1st – Maysee Wei
Children 2nd – Cassie Zuo
Children 3rd – Xiyue Wu
Adult 1st – Xingge Sun
Adult 2nd – Yating Hu
Adult 3rd – Fuheng Qu
ArtEast online exhibition
Thanks to four ArtEast Club members’ contribution to the online exhibition this year, there are over 30 pieces of artworks we can view from their gallery.
We would like to thank Luyaoand Sinong for their engaging and interesting talks and welcome the upcoming talks delivered by Tong, Siyang, Mi and Tianpeng. Save the dates in your diary and don’t miss out!
CNY entertainment
QUB international student societies are hosting their own events (Open House and CNY Dinner) for the celebration of the Chinese New Year. They welcome both members and non-members to join in their events.
Wishing all staff, students, alumni, and the wider community a joyful and prosperous Year of the Snake!
Launch of the Chinese New Year celebrations (Wednesday 22 January) – open to all students and staff
With the arrival of the Year of the Snake on Wednesday 29 January, we would like to send our best wishes to all those who celebrate it and its variations (Lunar New Year in some Asian countries) and invite staff and students to join together on Wednesday 22 January for the main launch event, as below.
This is a collaborative event, organised by The Language Centre, One Elmwood Student Experience Team, Queen’s Students’ Union, CSSA, MSSNI, Ppi Belfast, and Queen’s iRISE Staff Network, supported by People and Culture Diversity and Inclusion team.
12:00 – 13:00 Welcome Reception (Auditorium, McClay Library) –please register for this here.
13:00 – 13:30 Dragon Dance and Parade – departing from McClay Library through Lanyon, finishing at One Elmwood Student Centre and Students’ Union)
13:30 – 16:00 Cultural Fair and Performances (One Elmwood Foyer – Ground Floor) –no registration required
Chinese Culture Forum
The celebration of the Year of the Snake also announces the start of our Chinese Culture Forum in 2025, with the following talks contributed by Queen’s staff and students, including visiting academics and students from a range of disciplines. Check the programme button and book the events that you are interested in.
We are open to proposals for a variety of events that you would wish to help with or contribute to developing our CCP2025 programme. Please do not hesitate to submit your proposals via the form below and we will get in touch with you in due course after your submission.
In this dedicated column 'My China Story' we are pleased to invite Isabella to share her very first travel experience in China, which she could not make it during her undergraduate time due to pandemic and lockdown. In May 2024, Isabella grabbed an opportunity to join a QUB delegation to China and journey made her dream to China come true.
A Dream Trip To China Came True
Bags packed, passport in hand, playlist on shuffle; I arrived at Belfast City Airport and was on my way to China! A jam-packed trip, with cities to explore, new people to meet, and adventures to embark on. The trip started initially with butterflies in my stomach of nerves and excitement. A trip I had dreamed of for years, would it be everything I hoped? Spoiler alert: it certainly was!
Isabella Souza Mclaughlin, whose Chinese name is 苏蔓伊 (Sū Mànyī), is a bilingual English and Portuguese speaker with a keen interest in language-learning.
Graduated with BSc in International Business with Mandarin Chinese, Isabella is currently Global Marketing and Recruitment Co-ordinator in Global Student Recruitment at Queen’s.
Belfast-London-Guangzhou
I flew from Belfast with a quick layover in London and then landed in Guangzhou. My first time flying with China Southern Airlines was a positive experience, and the selection of Chinese movies to watch and noodles for the in-flight meal made the excitement build even more.
After an 11-hour flight, arriving in Guangzhou, it was hot and humid, with droplets of rain. Coming from Northern Ireland, I feared I would have been disappointed by the rain, but the city lights reflecting off the puddles on the ground, made them look like art pieces painted on the pavement.
On that first night in Guangzhou, I walked around the Central Business District (CBD, 中心商务区 Zhōngxīn Shāngwù Qū) located in the Tianhe District (天河区 Tiānhé Qū), where I was staying, an up-and-coming modern district.
I visited a dim sum (点心 diǎnxīn) restaurant, typical cuisine of Guangzhou consisting of small dishes, shared among the table, including dumplings (饺子 jiǎozi) and (小笼包 xiǎolóngbāo), as well as cheung fun (肠粉 cháng fěn). With my first outing in the city, I quickly had to use my language skills, ordering dishes in Mandarin. I gazed at the menu in awe with the delicious dishes. I texted my friend, living in the North of China, time-zone differences now eliminated, to get some recommendations. Served with tea, every dish melted in my mouth, the flavours dancing on my taste-buds, mild in spice – typical of the Guangdong region.
A Welcome to Guangzhou
After a restful sleep, the next morning I woke up to sunny weather in Guangzhou and later made my way to the lobby to meet with my colleague who is based in the city for Queen’s China market. With a shopping centre and food court nearby, every restaurant was full by lunch time. We grabbed a seat at a noodle restaurant within the bustling food court. I had already felt welcomed in the city, but meeting with my colleague who greeted me with a warm smile and showed me around the local area, I knew I would be settling into my time in China just fine.
Spicy peanut noodles and conversation during lunch, then a meeting to discuss preparations for the upcoming work event filled my afternoon.
Once our meeting ended, we grabbed a refreshment. With milk tea (奶茶 nǎi chá) and boba continuing to be popular in China, the popularity of fruit tea has also been on the rise in recent years. This time I tried Naixue Tea (奈雪的茶 Nàixuě de Chá), enjoying a grape tea as I completed some work projects overlooking the city.
The efficiency of ordering food and refreshments via WeChat (微信 Wēixìn), was incredibly convenient. By scanning a QR Code (二维码 èrwéi mǎ) on WeChat in restaurants and coffee shops, I was able to have a look through the menus and place orders via the mini-apps (应用小程序 yìngyòng xiǎo chéngxù) function on WeChat.
Pro-Tip: If travelling to China, download WeChat before arriving – similar to WhatsApp and other social media apps, WeChat is convenient for communicating with friends, family and colleagues in China, ordering food and refreshments, purchasing tickets, and more. Ensure to set up WeChat Pay in advance, which can be used to pay for the above purchases, and can be used in stores and for travel in China as contactless payment.
Later that evening, I went for a walk in Huacheng Square (花城广场 Huāchéng Guǎngchǎng), a plaza leading to the Canton Tower (广州塔 Guǎngzhōu Tǎ). The tower already looks magnificent in the daylight, but at nighttime, the tower stands, colourfully, lit up across the end of the plaza, with lights in the pavement changing colour in coordination with that of the tower. Music playing through the gardens and the city lights surrounding the plaza made for an incredible environment and ambience.
Huacheng Square and Canton TowerHuacheng Square and Canton Tower
Getting to know Guangzhou
The next morning, I had a small mission to complete, my first experience of travelling internally in the city using Didi, the main taxi service in China, and asking transport queries in Mandarin. Using Didi was incredibly convenient, at the click of a button on the Didi app, a taxi would arrive in less than 5 minutes.
Upon arrival at the train station, I made my way to the ticket desk. The staff only spoke Mandarin, so it was challenging at first asking the questions I needed help with, but excellent language practice. Once I successfully acquired train tickets and the information I needed, I then made my way back to Huacheng Square, this time hopping into a taxi at the taxi stand. The taxi drivers in Guangzhou were incredibly friendly, complimenting my language skills, though I found my Mandarin rather rusty!
Pro-Tip: if travelling to China, learn the numbers 1-10, this will be helpful when using Didi. Taxi drivers will ask for you to confirm the last four digits of the phone number used in your booking (note: the driver won’t be able to see your full phone number – only the last four digits – for data protection), to ensure you are the correct passenger and will often ask in Mandarin.
Then, I met with a colleague and we decided to explore the Guangdong Museum (广东省博物馆 Guǎngdōngshěng Bówùguǎn), as recommended by our colleagues from Guangzhou.
Getting to know more about Chinese culture, particularly Cantonese art and history, through intricate wood carvings and ancient pottery was amazing. For nature and archaeology fans, there was an exhibition on archaeological and paleontological finds and fascinating exhibitions on jade and other local minerals in China.
Pro-Tip: When travelling in China with an international passport, many tourist attractions will allow free entry, including the Guangdong Museum. Note: some temporary exhibitions may require a separate ticket to be purchased.
That evening, I went to dinner with my colleagues, and tried Canton food, which I thoroughly enjoyed! Other than dim sum, I was not overly familiar with Canton food, so this was an incredible experience. For anyone who is curious about dietary requirements, vegetarian food options in China are quite accessible, as although there are many meat and seafood dishes, I encountered a great selection of vegetarian, and further vegan-friendly dishes. Staff are also incredibly friendly, so feel free to ask about dietary requirements and ingredients.
When walking back to the hotel after dinner, I spotted a poster of one of my favourite singers, Lay Zhang (张艺兴 Zhāng Yìxìng) – so for any fans of C-Pop and C-Dramas, keep your eyes peeled because you can spot posters of some of your favourite actors and singers all around the city.
Queen’s Event
The final day in Guangzhou was the day of the Offer Holder and Alumni Event hosted by Queen’s University (英国女王大学2024广州见面会 Yīngguó Nǚwáng Dàxué 2024 Guǎngzhōu Jiànmiànhuì). This was a fantastic event to meet offer holders who were excited to start their journey in Queen’s, and meet with fellow alumni and old friends! I had the opportunity to meet up with Kexin, a friend I made in my first year of studying at Queen’s, reminiscing on our studies and sharing our journeys post-graduation.
Goodbye, Guangzhou!
After the event and a flight cancellation due to monsoon warnings, I was on my way to the train station to catch a last minute, 11-hour overnight train to Shanghai. Upon arrival to the station, the grand station had a wide selection of restaurants and cafes, from internationally known brands, to Chinese favourites. I grabbed a seat at a Chinese restaurant and ate a selection of small Chinese dishes, a mixture of local vegetables, beef and steamed egg.
I later boarded the train, finding my room which consisted of bunk beds, a table, sufficient storage and a sofa. Unfortunately, due to the dark night sky, I couldn’t see much of the view on the train journey, but with helpful staff, a lovely roommate and a bit of rest, the journey flew by. Arriving first thing in the morning the next day in Shanghai, I was ready to start the next section of the trip.
Thank you so much for reading this blog of my time in Guangzhou, stay tuned to read more about my more trips in China!
Isabella
More to read…
Please click the button below to read more stories from the ‘My China Story’ column.
While the 3rd semester Language Centre course enrolment is still underway, we would like to share with you the study tips from Isabella Souza Mclaughlin, who is currently working as Global Marketing and Recruitment Coordinator after her graduation from Queen’s.
I graduated from International Business with Mandarin at Queen’s University Belfast. Studying Mandarin was one of the best experiences I’ve had, and in this blog post, I will share some study tips!
Isabella Souza mclaughlin 苏曼伊 QUB Global Recruitment
Studying languages is incredibly rewarding, but it can be challenging! Familiarising yourself with your learning style is key. It’s important to try different techniques until you find the one that is best for you. Below are the tips that I would like to share:
Flashcards
Flashcards are a great way to practice vocabulary and keep your notes on-the-go. When studying Mandarin, I wrote the Chinese characters, known as 汉字 (hànzì) alongside the English translation on one side, and the 拼音 (pīnyīn) on the other, to focus on recognising characters. However, you may decide to focus on translation and have 汉字 on one side, and English on the other. Digital flashcards are also a convenient option.
Handwriting
I personally find I can memorise information best by writing. Handwriting notes in Mandarin can be time-consuming. However, if you are regularly writing 汉字, not only will you be revising your notes, but also practicing your handwriting. Remembering the stroke order of 汉字 will be a big help in writing faster over time.
The type of equipment you use can also help. I like using notebooks, so erasable pens found their way into my stationery. I like colour and decoration, so I used highlighters, colourful pens, sticky notes and washi tape in creating diagrams and mind-maps to help categorise them into topics, lessons, vocabulary or grammar.
Apps for writing 汉字 are an interactive way to practice. When not in class, I sometimes found myself even using notes apps on my phone to practice handwriting.
Language Class
If you are self-studying Mandarin, I highly recommend joining a class, as the classroom environment can help with speaking practice, meeting new people and help answering tricky questions. These can be in-person or online classes. The Language Centre at Queen’s offers a good range of language courses, including Mandarin Chinese.
I recently had the opportunity to study with the Beijing Institute of Technology on their 2024 Chinese Language and Multicultural Practice Winter Programme. This was an excellent opportunity to study Mandarin Chinese in interactive classes, as well as learn more about Chinese culture through lectures and seminars in Paper Cutting, Chinese Cuisine, Chinese Traditional Music and more. Not only did it give me the opportunity to improve my language skills in listening, speaking and reading, but I also met new people and built my confidence. This was an excellent opportunity to study with a University in China, particularly a partner University of Queen’s and I was also asked to present at the Closing Ceremony which was such an incredible honour.
Take as many notes as possible in class. I liked using my laptop, to which I downloaded a Chinese keyboard, to take notes in class and had a notebook on the side for handwriting. Alternatives such as Google Input Tools are useful as well.
Tandem Language Exchange
The Tandem Language Exchange at Queen’s was one of the best ways I improved my language skills. I met many language exchange partners who helped me significantly in improving my Mandarin, and I was able to share my experience and help them with English or Portuguese. Everyone was really encouraging in helping me develop my language skills and I had the opportunity to make life-long friends.
I scheduled meetings with my language partners regularly, often weekly, to work on new tasks each week. We picked a new topic to cover each week in each other’s target language, where we asked questions regarding culture and learned new vocabulary.
Cultural Experiences
Immersing yourself in the culture of your target language as much as possible is a great way to remain motivated in language learning and develop knowledge.
Cuisine
Belfast has many great Chinese restaurants, so be sure to try Chinese dishes to familiarise yourself with the cuisine. I also enjoy visiting the many great Chinese restaurants when travelling, such as in London.
Local Chinese dishes in BelfastChinese cuisine in London
Try making some Chinese dishes yourself too! A friend of mine from China and fellow graduate of Queen’s, invited me to celebrate Chinese New Year (春节, chūnjié) with her and her friends, where I learned to make jiaozi dumplings (bāo jiǎozi 包饺子) from scratch.
包饺子
Work Experience
During my placement year, despite the challenges of COVID, I was fortunate to get a placement in an international company, working with a team based in China. Not only was I getting experience in the work environment, but I was learning more about Chinese business culture and working with supportive colleagues from China. During that summer, I also took online evening classes in Mandarin Chinese through the Language Centre at Queen’s, to help maintain my language skills and get back into a classroom environment to prepare for my final year of University.
History and Modern Culture
If you enjoy history, try visiting some museums or exhibitions surrounding Chinese culture, reading books, articles, and watching documentaries. I enjoy music and entertainment, so I regularly listen to Chinese artists and watch dramas and films.
Many Chinese dramas are now on streaming services, such as, Netflix and Amazon Prime. If you can, try adding both English and Simplified Chinese subtitles. Watch dramas back a second time with only Simplified Chinese subtitles, you’d be surprised with how much you can pick up! Try watching your current favourite shows in your first language dubbed in Mandarin, as you will already be familiar with the plot, this will be an entertaining way to practice your listening skills.
Cultural Events
Ensure you attend cultural events. Queen’s hosts numerous Chinese cultural events throughout the year, including Spring Festival/CNY (春节, Chūnjié) and Mid-Autumn Festival (中秋节, Zhōngqiū jié). This is a great way to learn more about these festivals, enjoy the celebrations and get involved! During my studies, I assisted in maintaining a stand at the Chinese New Year Festival, sharing information about the Chinese Zodiac (十二生肖, shí’èr shēngxiāo).
Social Media
Try using social media apps from the countries of your target language. I use WeChat (微信, Wēixìn) to chat with my friends regularly and find information on Red (小红书, Xiǎohóngshū). If you are a fan of TikTok and YouTube, why not try DouYin (抖音, Dǒuyīn) or Bilibili? Download a Chinese keyboard to your phone to make it easier when using social media apps.
Read Bilingual Literature
Reading is a great way to keep up practice. You’re already reading a lot in your classes and on social media, so why not try some bilingual literature? If, like me, you enjoy cuisine, I recommend ‘Tiny Moons: A Year of Eating in Shanghai’ by Nina Mingya Powles, a collection of essays about food and belonging, that incorporates vocabulary in Mandarin.
Motivation and Advice
A key aspect of learning any language, is focusing on your progress and avoid comparing yourself to others. Everyone learns languages at their own pace. It can be easy to compare yourself to others without considering the things that make your language learning experience unique. You may feel like you are falling behind, when in fact, you are right where you need to be and making incredible progress!
Though this is primarily aimed at studying Mandarin, I hope these study tips will be useful for any other languages.
The Cultural Diversity at Queen’s programme not only welcomes international students and staff members introduce their own cultures, but also encourages them to share their intercultural experience through this blog channel. Below is what GAO Ying, a Chinese student from Management School, told us her interesting experience of being invited to the Holi Festival celebration just a couple of days before the festival starts today, 8th March (also the International Women’s Day).
Happy Holi 2023 – GaoYing & her friends | Image@GAOYing
What did you know about this Holi Festival?
Well, actually before I was invited I knew little of it. Since I started my life at Queen’s I have made friends with a lot of international students, including Indians, many of whom are also my classmates. I have learned from them (and Google) that the colourful Holi festival is Indians’ celebration of the triumph of good over evil and the destruction of Holika, the banshee. It is also the joyous day when the Holi Festival begins with singing and dancing throughout not only India but also the world along with the diaspora. At the same time, it also represents the end of the monotonous colour of winter, followed by the spring flowers.
This year Holi falls on the 8th March, but it’s celebrated a bit earlier on the 5th March, which is a Sunday, so as to encourage more students to join.
What was your Holi experience and the joy of it?
Before I went, I was told by my best friend Parvin, who is a lovely Indian girl, that I’d better wear a white T-shirt because people would use coloured powder throwing to each other and into the air to celebrate Holi. After getting the ticket through an app, I went together with my friends to the Botanic Inn, which is a bar near Queen’s. I was quite eager to taste the new culture and would also be keen to meet some new friends at the event.
The celebration was arranged outdoors and everybody looked so excited. There was a DJ from Dublin who was invited here for music production. With energetic music, my Indian classmates introduced me to their friends then we all danced together. They taught me some Indian dancing steps and movements, some of which were actually from the daily actions of Indian labourers, such as grinding, stirring or making naan bread. We laughed, held each other’s hands and danced to the music, laughing out loud. It was so much fun with relaxing time. Of course, we all had colours on our faces and our bodies – no one could escape! I felt so happy that I should have another chance to know more about them.
What has been your overall student life experience with Queen’s so far?
Before I arrived at Queen’s, I had already heard from its media and social media like WeChat that Queen’s is a beautiful university with international students from many different cultures, which impressed me a lot.
When I came here, I enjoyed some local celebrations such as Halloween and Christmas, which was great because they gave a quite authentic feel. But the first large cultural event I was seriously engaged with was to attend as a student volunteer for the ArtEast Exhibition at the Ulster Museum, as part of the Chinese New Year Celebration programme at Queen’s. I was really proud of being able to help with promoting my own culture to visitors from other cultures. Now, through the Holi celebration I started to explore more other cultures which were distant to me originally. I really appreciate Queen’s multicultural environment, within which I have already started to harvest happiness, friendship, and a heart full of love.
I certainly have enjoyed my colourful life here and would like to encourage my friends, Chinese and international, to live our lives together in a more interactive and interesting way while studying at Queen’s.
We also thank GAO Ying for kindly sharing her Instagram account with us, which includes a video clip of their Holi Celebration! You are welcome to share your thoughts and comments with us in the reply box below or with Ying on her social media.
The first half of the CNY celebrations went on extremely well, featuring the student-led Interactive Chinese Culture Displays and Demos, the CNY2023 Launch Event, and the art exhibitions both online and in-person. We would like to send our ‘thank-you’ to all of you who have contributed, participated in and helped with promotion. We hope that you have enjoyed yourselves.
In the following part of the CNY Programme, we continue to warmly welcome you to attend a series of culture talks, a fun time table tennis event and a guzheng introductory workshop. All QUB students and staff members are welcome!
Starting from October 30th on, the whole country has officially entered its wintertime. Have you started to feel depression and loneliness because of the early darkness, wet weather and fast-approaching assignment deadlines? Have you ever wondered how long this awful wintertime will actually last before you can regain your peace of mind?
We are pleased to welcome Sun Xingge (孙邢格), MSc candidate in Advanced Professional and Clinical Practice from School of Nursing and Midwifery, to share her fresh experience of joining the Student Union’s (学生会 xuéshēnghuì) Volunteering (志愿行动 zhìyuàn xíngdòng) and Wellbeing (安康 ānkāng) Fair hosted on Wednesday 2nd November.
It’s been amazing that Queen’s Student Union hosted this Volunteering and Wellbeing Fair at this time of the year as it sets a goal to make us aware of the importance of taking care of ourselves and others. From 12pm to 4pm at the Mandela Hall, One Elmwood, I took part in wellbeing activities like dog petting, crafting, DJ taster session, yoga and more, which was lots of fun and a fantastic feel-good experience.
But it’s about more than just having fun. As a Nursing student I’m keen to meet a range of not-for-profit organisations (非盈利组织 fēi yínglì zǔzhī) to find out about the opportunities available to me, to meet new friends, to discover new interests, to build my confidence, all through participating in volunteering. I believe that this could help me gain invaluable experience for my life and my future career. For example, I had a chance to join the simulation game of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR, 心肺复苏 xīnfèi fùsū), which has updated me with the key steps of undertaking CPR.
Flowerpot design
Among the many activities, I particularly enjoyed the flowerpot designing activity, as I had the luxury of choosing from loads of flowers to design my own flowerpot, which really stimulated my imagination and increased my sense of achievement. When I was focusing on flowerpot designing, I actually tended to forget all my worries and felt much relaxed. I chose orange as the theme color and picked up sunflowers, roses, and daisies, which represent sunshine and hope. After finishing making the pot, I brought my product home and presented it to my friend as a little surprise (小惊喜 xiǎo jīngxǐ). She was so grateful (感激 gǎnjī; 领情 lǐng qíng) and loved my gift. See, my joy from making this flowerpot and my friend’s joy of receiving my little gift has already awarded me double happiness (双倍快乐 shuāngbèi kuàilè) during the day.
Making flower pot | Image@SunXingge
Making flower pot | Image@SunXingge
Making flower pot | Image@SunXingge
Making flower pot | Image@SunXingge
Making flower pot | Image@SunXingge
Free food and healthy diet
In addition to flowerpot designing, I also appreciated being advised to follow a healthy diet (健康饮食 jiànkāng yǐnshí), which turns out to be a crucial thing for us all as it is one of the main ways to improve our physical and mental health. I was impressed by the provision with free (免费 miǎnfèi) hot lunch boxes (a selection between chicken and vegan curry) and a great variety of free healthy snacks at the fair – rice cakes, chickpeas, corn, and nuts, to name a few. The hot lunch box meant a lot to me because I’m so used to eating hot meal (热食 rèshí) when I was in China, especially since it made me feel warm during this cold winter, being distant from my home.
Free hot meal and healthy snacks | Image@SunXingge
Free hot meal and healthy snacks | Image@SunXingge
Free hot meal and healthy snacks | Image@SunXingge
With the approaching of the new semester we are pleased to announce that the Language Centre course enrolment starts at 00:30 on Thursday 1st September. We offer over 80 classes in 14 different languages, including Chinese, that have both online and in person teaching. All classes will commence week beginning Monday 10 Oct 2022.
Online registration will be closed on Thursday 6 Oct and we welcome all to make an early registration as courses are extremely popular and fill up quickly.
We are looking for talented students and staff members to volunteer for our Chinese language and cultural events at Queen’s. It could be in the form of a variety of cultural performances, or language/culture-related topics and skills, and is open to both Chinese-speaking and non-Chinese speaking volunteers.
We look forward to working with you in our future events.
Happy September and happy Mid-Autumn Festival which arrives early, falling on Saturday 10th September this year. 中秋节快乐 (Zhōngqiūjié kuàilè)!
Following the successful rolling out of the iRise Social and Wellbeing Event – A Taste of Chinese Tea with Guzheng Music in July, we would like to invite you to join our Mid-Autumn Festival celebration with a cultural talk on its history and social impact, with a taste of mooncakes (赏月 shǎng yuè) and MIDI keyboard performance (赏乐 shǎng yuè) –
MIDI Keyboard with Roses
Organised by The Language Centre and BAME & International Staff Network, QUB
Presented by Dr Liang Wang, The Language Centre
Contributed by Kehan (可瀚), BSc candidate in Music and Audio Production, School of Arts, English and Languages
Date: Friday 23rd September 2022 Time: 15:30 – 17:00 Venue: The Auditorium, McClay Library
Please note: Due to rescheduling we may have some limited spaces available. For colleagues who signed up for the event and still can attend, you don’t need to do it again. However, if you are no longer able to attend in-person, please email liang.wang[at]qub.ac.uk so that places can be made to others. Please register by 4.00pm on Thursday 22nd September.
While in Northern Ireland we have embraced a cool autumn it remains scorching hot in most places in China, where having a bowl of chilled dessert soup sparks so much joy in a hot summer. This time we invite CHEN Jiangyue (陈江月), a graduate in MSc TESOL, to share with us a type of popular dessert soup called ‘Yangzhi Ganlu’.
As a girl raised in Guangdong province, which borders Hong Kong, my favourite dessert soup is Yangzhi Ganlu (杨枝甘露 Yángzhī Gānlù), a type of Hong Kong-style dessert soup that is often widely known as ‘Yangzhi Nectar’, or simply, ‘Mango Pomelo Sago’ in English.
Photo: CHEN Jiangyue
The dessert soup of the day
Rich in fruit, especially mango (芒果 mángguǒ) and pomelo (柚子 yòuzi), as the name suggests, it often contains grapefruit (葡萄柚 pútaoyòu), coconut (椰子 yēzi), strawberry (草莓 cǎoméi), and sago (西米露 xīmǐlù), served in coconut milk (椰奶 yēnǎi) and syrup (糖水 tángshuǐ, aka Tong Sui in Cantonese). Deliciously sweet and sour with a silky milk flavour, it will soon perk you up with the feeling of infinite freshness and happiness! While it is best served chilled, especially in summer, it is nevertheless a great drink for all seasons.
Whenever I feel like a summer treat, I will make it myself at home as it is easy to prepare, or buy it at local stores as they are so popular. It is also my top recommendation for my friends coming to visit Guangdong. Every time we meet at my place, I always take my friends out to taste Yangzhi Ganlu at some must-try restaurants or dessert soup stores.
Photo@JiangyueChen
Photo@JiangyueChen
Photo@JiangyueChen
Photo@JiangyueChen
What does the Chinese name mean exactly?
Yangzhi Ganlu is a contemporary syrup invented by the Lei Yuan Group, a Hong Kong-based business, in the 1980s, although its name is embedded with connotations of traditional Chinese mythology.
Yangzhi (杨枝 Yángzhī), literally meaning willow branches, refers to the holy branch held in the sacred porcelain vase of Guanyin Bodhisattva (观世音菩萨 Guānshìyīn púsà) in Chinese Buddhism, a figure synonymous with the pinnacle of mercy, compassion, and kindness. Ganlu (甘露 Gānlù) refers to the holy dew dropping from the willow branch, which is believed to have the power to bring people back to life or to make one feel refreshed.
Hence, the name was adopted to highlight its health benefits and its effectiveness at cooling people down in hot weather.
Taking a pioneer role in a competitive dessert industry, Yangzhi Ganlu has evolved into many different variations overtime and has won the heart of many people, both young and old, in greater China and elsewhere. It is believed that its success does not merely rely on the business itself, but also on the cultural associations of its name.
Author: CHEN Jiangyue Editors: Lauren McShane and WANG Liang
What other type of dessert or drinks have you ever entertained yourselves? Let us know your choices and the stories behind by leaving your comments in the box below. We look forward to reading your blog post in the near future.
