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.
The Pre-CNY Workshops commenced with great enthusiasm, setting the tone for the celebrations ahead.
On the afternoon of Monday, 13th January, the Blue Sky Room at One Elmwood welcomed a diverse audience from various cultural and academic backgrounds. Attendees gathered to participate in three engaging workshops — Drawing the Snake, Chinese Calligraphy, and Paper Crafts — in preparation for the arrival of the Year of the Snake.
The Language Centre, in collaboration with One Elmwood Student Experience Team and Queen’s Students’ Union, is keen to invite students and staff members, as well as members of the public, to attend a wide range of events in the coming weeks, featuring
The launch of the Chinese New Year celebrations (Wednesday 22 January)
Year of the Snake Fair (Wednesday 22 January)
Culture talks
Film seminar and screening
Art exhibitions
For more information and to register click the button below
Happy Laba Festival (腊八节 Làbā jié)! Falling on the 8th day of the 12th month (called 腊月 làyuè) in the lunar calendar, this Laba Festival is often seen as the signal of the arrival of the Chinese New Year (aka. Spring Festival 春节 Chūn jié in China).
Laba congee cooked | Image@LiangWANG
On the day, in many places across China, mainly the north, northwest and southeast, people cook and eat Laba congee (腊八粥 làbāzhōu), typically made of rice, mixed beans, various nuts and dried fruits, etc., all of which are believed to be good for health. Having Laba congee can keep one feel warm and spirited in the cold and wet weather.
With the Laba Festival arriving today on 7th January this year, one can be certain that the Chinese New Year – Year of the Snake (蛇年 Shénián) starting from 29th January, is just around the corner.
Call for CNY participation
While we are busy preparing for the CNY2025 Programme, we would like to invite you to join us in a few activities that can bring the celebrative elements together. The following calls for participation are totally voluntary and you are welcome to attend one or all, as long as you feel like relevant and meaningful.
This event is for staff and students at Queen’s to volunteer at our series of events such as the CNY Gala, CNY Interactive Fair, Culture Workshops, etc.
The Year of Snake arrives earlier than usual in 2025, falling on Wed 29th January. To kick off another festive celebration following the Christmas and New Year holidays, we warmly invite students, staff, and their families to participate in a series of workshops leading up to this special occasion. These workshops reflect the cherished traditions upheld by Chinese-speaking communities as they prepare to welcome the Spring Festival with cultural practices and festivities.
Participants can attend all of the workshops, or choose any one to attend. Children under 18 should be accompanied by their guardian.
Drawing the Snake – A fun competition to show your creativity and imagination across cultures of drawing snakes (蛇 shé), beyond the artistic and professional boundary.
Chinese calligraphy – A great chance to taste the writing of Chinese characters such as 福 (fú, fortune) and many other blessing words, as well as your names in Chinese characters.
Paper crafts – A hands-on experience of developing craftsmanship and making traditional decorations for the Chinese New Year celebration.
As we welcome the Year of the Snake, Queen’s University Belfast invites all students and staff (and their families) to celebrate this Spring Festival with creativity and cultural exploration through our “Drawing the Snake” Competition!
This fun and engaging event encourages participants to showcase their artistic talents and unique interpretations of the Snake, an important symbol in Chinese culture that represents wisdom, transformation, and elegance.
Image credit: Jean Jing
The competition also highlights the famous Chinese idiom 画蛇添足 (huà shé tiān zú), meaning “drawing legs on a snake”. This idiom serves as a reminder to approach creativity with balance, avoiding unnecessary embellishments that might detract from the essence of an idea – just as adding legs to a snake would be superfluous.
Whether you’re inspired by traditional Chinese art, modern interpretations, or your own personal flair, we can’t wait to see your vision of the Snake! Let’s celebrate the artistry, wisdom, and elegance that the Year of the Snake represents.
Requirement
Participants are encouraged to employ diverse drawing styles and mediums (e.g., sketching, oils, watercolor, sculpture, etc.) as long as they effectively convey your perceptions of the snake 蛇 within your own cultural context or Chinese culture. We welcome authentic forms and techniques of presentation, excluding AI-related works.
Workshop
The competition will close on Friday 17th January(extended to Sunday 19th January). A Drawing the Snake workshop for QUB students, staff and their families will take place on Monday 13th January.
Submission
Submissions should consist of one drawing per participant, saved as an electronic copy (JEPG/JPG/PNG format, no exceeding 4MB). Please submit your artwork via the provided submission form, accompanied by a brief bio, including your name, status (e.g., educational/professional background), and a concise description of your illustration.
Welcome to the Mid-Autumn Festival and Welcome event, which is jointly organised by the Language Centre and BAME & International Staff Network, and supported by the Student Experience Team. This event aims to provide a space for staff members and students to meet and network, share knowledge and enrich intercultural experiences.
This event celebrates the Mid-Autumn Festival with a taste of mooncakes and an appreciation of cultural performances. This year, the Mid-Autumn Festival falls on Tuesday 17th September. We would like to invite students and staff members to join us in the celebration at Queen’s.
Date: Thursday 12th September 2024 Time: 14:00 – 16:30 Venue: Cube, One Elmwood
Please note that the mooncakes we provide contain traces of eggs and nuts, though we will organise some vegetarian snacks. Due to limited capacity of the Cube, we are only able to accommodate 80 people, on a first-come-first-serve basis. A waiting list will be managed if vacancies appear. We also hope to take photos and may record some clips on the day. If you are not happy to be included, please let us know in advance.
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.
Congratulations to all the winners of the CNY celebrations in February 2024!
On March 20th, the highly anticipated CNY Prize Collection event took place at One Elmwood, where the Launch event was also hosted.
CNY Launch event group photo after Dragon Dance at One ElmwoodCNY Prize Collection group photo with part of the winners.
Thanks to the collaborative efforts of various departments, including The Language Centre, iRISE Staff Network, Student Experience Team, SU Shop, and Diversity, Inclusion, and Staff Wellbeing Unit at Queen’s, the prizes were generously contributed.
These prizes were awarded to participants of the Drawing the Dragon Competition and Fun Time with Table Tennis, as listed below:
CNY Prize Collection photos with some individual winners.
CNY Prize Collection photos with some individual winners.
CNY Prize Collection photos with some individual winners.
The primary organizers, Dr. Liang Wang from The Language Centre and Victoria Gilroy from the Student Experience Team, personally extended their gratitude to the winners for their enthusiasm and engagement. They hoped that everyone had a delightful experience during this entertaining and educational celebration, which has become a hallmark socio-cultural programme for nearly a decade.
Dr Liang Wang and Victoria Gilroy at the CNY Prize Collection.
As part of the broader initiative of Celebrating Cultural Diversity at Queen’s, Dr Liang Wang invited more individuals and groups, including Queen’s students and staff members, as well as members of the public from diverse cultural backgrounds, to contribute to fostering a multicultural campus environment at Queen’s and beyond.
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.
