Foreign participants at the ongoing 9th Asian Winter Games in northeast China’s Harbin have taken time away from the sporting competitions to enjoy the rich cultural offerings of the “ice city” at an event dedicated to showcasing local and traditional intangible cultural heritages.
Running from Feb 7 to 14, the Asian Winter Games has brought together over 1,200 competitors from 34 countries and regions, making this the largest ever edition of the Games in terms of overall participation.
As special outdoor activity, foreign athletes and sports delegation officials embraced the local spirit by joining in with the traditional Yangge group dance and experienced intangible cultural heritage skills such as sugar painting and paper cutting.
Ahead of the Lantern Festival, which lands Wednesday, visitors also enjoyed the festive activity of shaking a basket of yuanxiao – glutinous rice flour dumplings filled with sweet stuffings — as they tried their hands at the unique method of making the delicacy which is traditionally consumed during the festival.
“I found it really fascinating. When I was shaking the yuanxiao just now, I felt very happy and enjoyed the experience,” said Quang Vinh Ngo, chef de mission of the Vietnamese team to the Harbin Asian Winter Games.
“This is very intriguing. I had no idea that yuanxiao in northern China is made in this way. Thailand also has small dumplings similar to yuanxiao, but they are made by rubbing your hands together,” said Kesinee Pomtha, second secretary at the Thai Embassy in Beijing who was visiting Harbin.
The outdoor exhibition of intangible cultural heritages has further heightened the excitement surrounding the Asian Winter Games, with many athletes and officials saying they are impressed by the city’s beautiful scenery and rich culture.
“The natural beauty and landscapes here are breathtaking, whether it’s day or night, and the people are very friendly,” said Truong Lap Duong, a Vietnamese athlete.
“I think China prepared for it so much, like all the designs you can see, you can see the Harbin 2025 Asian Games [decorations], which just makes everything nicer and more beautiful,” said Dyan Lean Dominique Cheng, president of the Philippine Skating Union.
“I can feel that the Chinese culture has a very rich and [interesting] culture. So I feel very happy and excited,” said Ram Prasad Chaulagain, a volunteer from Nepal.
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CGTN