On January 10, the winter camp of “Root-Seeking Tour in China” hosted by the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese opened at Shenyang Normal University. 25 Chinese Panamanian teenagers from the Chinese School of Panama’s Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry arrived in Shenyang to take a root-seeking tour for 10 days.

Chinese Panamanian teenagers all cherish the opportunity to return to their homeland where they have studied Chinese courses as well as various aspects of Chinese culture, including tea art, folk songs, folk music, Beijing opera, calligraphy, and Tai Chi. They have also got hands-on experience with intangible cultural heritages such as paper cutting, sugar painting, and cotton painting. While studying in Shenyang, they will visit the Liaoning Provincial Museum, the Paleontological Museum of Liaoning, the September 18th Historical Museum, and the Shenyang Imperial Palace. Additionally, they will go to ski resorts to appreciate ice sculptures, enjoy the snow scenery, and learn skating, immersing themselves in the charm of ice and snow culture.

These teenagers were so excited to see the snow by the frozen riverbank at Shenyang Normal University. Many of them thrilled with exhilaration, saying that this was their first time to see snow. They learned paper cutting, sugar painting, and the art of folding paper dragon lanterns from the teachers at the Affiliated Art School of Shenyang Normal University. As the Chinese Lunar Year of the Dragon is approaching, the teenagers enthusiastically wielded red paper and scissors to make lively and adorable shapes of the dragons. A few younger students of them showed a preference for sugar painting and learned how to use brownish red liquid sugar to draw dragons and flowers. “Since I was a child, my parents have always told me not to forget that we are ‘descendants of the dragon’ !” said Liu Ziying, a Chinese Panamanian student who was making the dragon shapes.

“Chinese Panamanian teenagers have gained the opportunity to have a deep understanding of traditional Chinese culture through the winter camp of ‘Root-Seeking Tour in China’.” said He Xiaojuan, vice principal of the Chinese School of the Panama’s Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry. “The children feel warm after returning to their homeland, experiencing the charm of Chinese culture and witnessing the prosperity and development of China. Wherever they may be, they will always remember that their roots are here.”