Columbus Chinese Language School students will host a cultural festival featuring Chinese martial art performances, authentic homemade Chinese food and a host of cultural activities to raise money for the school.
The event is free and will be held at the Central Middle School gym from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday.
Traditional homemade food — including fried noodles, dumplings and bubble tea — will be available for purchase.
All proceeds will benefit the Columbus Chinese Language School, said Jie Huang, principal of CCLS.
“This is our first Chinese culture festival,” Huang said. “We are trying to present as much as we can about Chinese cultures because there is so much in China. We want people to have different experiences so they can learn how deep Chinese culture is and get more opportunities to learn about the Chinese culture and language.”
At the event, people can learn to say basic phrases in Mandarin, learn how to write Chinese characters, try on traditional Chinese clothing, learn to use chopsticks, make traditional Chinese crafts, play ping pong, among other activities, Huang said. Additionally, there will be Chinese art exhibits, as well as performances of classical Chinese dance, tai chi and kung fu.
Among the food for sale will be zongzi, a traditional Chinese rice dish in which different fillings, such as meat balls, are wrapped in bamboo leaves and steamed or boiled, Huang said.
Men may try on a traditional Chinese dragon robe, Huang said. Dragon robes are silk robes adorned with images of dragons that were the traditional attire of Chinese emperors and other high-ranking officials dating back to at least Qing Dynasty in ancient China, according to the Smithsonian Institute.
Women will be able to try on traditional clothes worn by princesses during the Qing Dynasty. Additionally, there will be traditional clothes for children. The idea, Huang said, is for the whole family to dress up and take a family photo in the clothing.
Founded in 1997, Columbus Chinese Language School offers Mandarin classes for children and adults every Sunday at Central Middle School from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Currently, the school has around 100 students, Huang said.
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What: Chinese Culture Festival
Where: Central Middle School gym, located at 725 7th Street
When: 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday
How to attend: There is no need to register before the event. Visit columbuschineselanguageschool.blogspot.com for more information about the school.
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