While artificial intelligence is rapidly changing the world, it seems everything we do needs to be done faster. Although changes emerge faster than one’s imagination, history leaves us with what is glorious and fills our hearts with pride and happiness. China boasts profound history and culture and remains an integral part of the global culture. With pupils coming from around the world, we want our Wellington pupils to experience diverse cultures with an inclusive mind; meanwhile, as a member of Wellington College China based in Hangzhou, we also want our pupils to immerse themselves in the beauty of Chinese culture. Not long ago, we held A Glimpse of China, an art exhibition and competition at Wellington, to encourage pupils to demonstrate the diversity and dynamics of Chinese culture. Today, let us follow the lead of our Chinese department to learn more about the event.
 

Chinese department
 

Chinese culture has a long and rich history, with a vast body of literature and art created by scholars, writers, and artists. Even though it can be challenging to fully comprehend the depth and breadth of Chinese culture, each individual’s unique impressions can reflect its brilliance.

The Chinese Language Department adheres to the school's educational philosophy, aiming to create a community of international citizens with comprehensive development and Wellington values. To encourage all Chinese learners to exchange and share their impressions of Chinese culture, they have organised the "Impressions of China" art competition.

In daily Chinese language teaching, culture is usually hidden behind the text, which can be explored and learned by constantly supplementing language knowledge and related materials. In this event, children can combine various art forms, such as calligraphy, painting, handicrafts, and photography with classroom knowledge to express their understanding of Chinese culture.
 

Adrain L Y3A
The Glimpse of China was such a fantastic show. I liked them so much, especially the works from my classmates Adam and Sophia – one is a water and ink painting of cabbage, and the other is a facial makeup in operas on a turtle shell. How creative they are!

Audrey L Y7
I find it very meaningful to hold Chinese culture-related activities in a British styled school, because it allows non-native speakers to experience Chinese culture and us to accumulate our knowledge. I am looking forward to more activities like this in the future.

Helen Song, teacher responsible for the exhibition
In the beginning, we held the “A Glimpse of China” competition based on our Wellington mission to develop well-rounded individuals with global perspectives and strong skills. We wanted to encourage all Chinese learners to deepen their understanding of the Chinese culture because we believe “the more national, the more global”. We were pleasantly surprised that as the activity unfolded, we received an increasing amount of exceptional work. I must say that our school is full of talented individuals.


Here are some of the artistic works from Wellington pupils
 

Experience the merge of culture and art
 

To stimulate children's participation, the activity has a voting process. After appreciating all the artworks, understanding other people's perspectives on Chinese culture and deepening their awareness, students chose their favourite works. These examples not only inspire other children to learn and create more actively but also enhance the artists’ confidence and expressive abilities.
 

Jessica Y Y3B
I was surprised that my painting was exhibited. I worked with my oil painting teacher to complete the work - Lion Dance. I am so excited that I won the award, and it made me find more happiness in painting.

 

Sunny G Y4A
My friend Angela and I both participated in this event. We discussed and decided to each paint a Chinese painting. Although I only won the third prize, I was still very happy. Next time I will definitely come up with a better painting.
 

Competition sparks pupils’ creativity

Looking forward to next year, with ancient and contemporary talents side by side, may we once again shine brightly.