Paper flowers and lanterns decorated the Emerson Library conference room on the evening of Sept. 16 in celebration of the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival. Hosted by SinoLink, Webster University’s club that means Chinese and American connection, the event aimed to share Chinese culture with those curious to learn. Initially, 38 students signed up to attend the festival, but the turnout exceeded expectations with 66 attendees.
Students were engrossed in Chinese culture through presentations, food and performances. SinoLink President Wei Wang led the evening’s festivities with a presentation showcasing Chinese traditional clothing throughout the centuries. Attendees ate mooncakes, dried fruit and a variety of floral and herbal teas, as Yanli Feng, a SinoLink member, spoke about the importance tea holds in daily life in China.
The Mid-Autumn Festival, an important celebration in Chinese culture, holds similar popularity with Chinese New Year festivities. The festival is held as a celebration of the year’s harvest and a time to gather as a family and to pray for a good future.
“Chinese tea culture has a rich history spanning thousands of years,” Feng said. “Tea is not just a beverage, but a way of life.”
Salil Pandey, a student from Nepal, attended the festival because it made him feel close to home. He shared that because of the close proximity of Nepal and China, they held similar festivities.
“This is my first time attending the Chinese event,” Pandey said. “[Nepal has] a similar kind of autumn festival … The biggest festival in our country is Dashain. It is similar to Diwali in India … it is like a Christmas festival in the United States. All of our families come together and we have gatherings … I miss my home, but coming here and being close to a very close neighbor, I feel very connected with this Chinese event.”
The evening’s festivities ended with a dance performance from Weiwei Fu, a dancer from the St. Louis Modern Chinese School. Attendees also participated in paper lantern-making and a moonlit performance of a Pipa, a traditional Chinese string instrument held like a vertical guitar. The strings are plucked and the instrument is closely related to a banjo.
It was important to SinoLink to hold this festival to bring the student body together and create a network for Chinese students on campus. The group aims to strengthen connections between the Webster Groves campus and the university’s China campus. Wang shared that the club, made up of students of Chinese descent, fosters a community while sharing their culture with those interested. They plan to host more Chinese festivals later in the year.
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