Chinese food is very popular with international students, especially the traditional food“dumplings." Boiling the dumplings is like lotus floating in clear water, and well-cooked dumplings are like shoe shaped god ingot in the jade plate. Dumplings is one of the most delicious and fresh Chinese cuisine. Many international students who come to China do not only like to eat dumplings, but also fall in love with making dumplings. On November 14, 2017, more than forty students from Russia, Uzbekistan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Vietnam and other countries along with their Chinese counterparts organized a dumplings preparation and tasting activity in the teachers’ cafeteria of our university. The activity provided an opportunity for international students to learn how to make dumpling, and also taste them.

During the activity, teachers from the School of International Education explained to the foreign students the custom of eating dumplings in China. After that, the chef in the canteen taught the students the process and techniques of making dumplings. In a cheerful atmosphere, the teachers from the School of International Education, canteen chefs and Chinese students helped the international students complete the making of the dumplings successfully. Although the shape of dumplings varies among the foreign students, we all had fun during the process. Especially when the hot dumplings came out, everyone cheered happily.

Food culture is an important part of Chinese culture.It is an important aspect of the cultural ties that brings Chinese and foreign culture closer. This activity did not only provide a platform for Chinese  and foreign students to communicate with each other, but also provided a platform for international students to communicate with each other so as to make the students more closely connected with each other and increase the sense of belonging and identity of international students.