Tongji University’s 4th Minority Folk-custom and Culture Exhibition, with the theme of “Attractive folk customs and colorful Tongji dreams”, was held in South Avenue of Siping Road Campus, at noon on 14th October, with the active participation of minority students at Tongji University (TJU). Prof. Yang Xianjin, Party Secretary of TJU, Prof. Xu Jianping, Vice Party Secretary of TJU, and heads of related departments and faculties attended the activity, and interacted with students of the Uyghur, Zang, Kazak, Khalkhas, Yugu, Hui, Man, Miao, Mongol, Daur, Tujia, Li, Bai, and Dai nationalities.

The event was held and proceeded in a harmonious atmosphere. Students of the Zang nationality offered Khatags to the teachers. Nang, dried fruits and hand pilaf were recommended to visitors by Uigur students. In front of the panels of national culture, students enthusiastically introduced the geographic features and folk customs of their own nationalities to visitors, and answered questions about their life and cultures. Prof. Yang was invited to try to wear a Uigur bonnet, and to taste highland barley wine and buttered tea of the Zang nationality. He asked carefully about the names and uses of the minority national specialties on display, and appreciated the beautiful scenery and characteristic cultures in minority areas and encouraged students to work hard in their studies in order to benefit their own hometowns.

“Singing and Dancing Performance of Minorities in Xinjiang” was a new program in this year’s exhibition, as well as one of the most popular parts. Folk songs and dances performed by students of Uyghur and Kazak nationalities gained cheers and applause from the audience.. The activity reached its joyous climax when Prof. Yang, Prof. Xu and other teachers were invited to join the dance.

The 4th Minority Folk Custom and Culture Exhibition was jointly organized by the Students Affairs Office and Tongji Law School. With various forms of display panels, handicraft articles, minority dresses, artistic works, oral explanations and singing and dancing performances, the exhibition promoted minority cultures and displayed minority folk customs in a brand new way. Meanwhile, specialty foods of different minorities, such as highland barley wine, buttered tea, hand pilaf and naan bread feasted visitors' eyes as well as their mouths. Tsode Norbu, a Law School student of the Tibetan Minority, told the visitors: “All of the foods were of authentic Tibetan flavor, since they were brought here right from Lhasa by train.”

The customized feast presented by minority students of Tongji University not only enabled visitors to have a better understanding of the cultures of minorities, but also promoted mutual respect between the students of different nationalities on campus of Tongji University, and created a harmonious atmosphere of national unity.

Translated by May Language Studio based upon

http://news.tongji.edu.cn/classid-10-newsid-48755-t-show.html