Feature: Poster drawing contest helps ethnic Chinese children hold on to their cultural roots

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by Xinhua writer Gu Zhenqiu

LONDON, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- A new and colorful door is open to welcome the arrival of 2018, the Year of the Dog on the lunar Chinese calendar, with happy dogs just about to move into their symbolic house, while a next door, which is drab and dull, is already closed after a farewell to 2017, the Year of the Rooster, with chicken paw tracks announcing the recent departure of roosters.

Four red Chinese lanterns are hanging down from the new door, each bearing a Chinese character jointly to express "Happy New Year" greetings.

This is the picture, which illustrates a vivid transition between a new year and an old one in the Chinese culture, was painted by a ethnic Chinese child, winner of the poster drawing contest organized by the Real Chinese Academy, a Chinese-teaching weekend school in southeastern London.

After a strict selection, 13 winners of varying prizes came out of 113 candidates, most of whom are aged from four to seven years old. The award ceremony was held on Sunday to celebrate the Chinese New Year, which began on Feb. 16 according to the lunar Chinese calendar.

Many candidates are from non-Chinese families living in Bromley, a London district which is about one hour driving from the central part of the British capital.

"Children love drawing and painting," Xu Zhi, head teacher of the Real Chinese Academy, told Xinhua. "A painting is a universal language, it is a very effective vehicle to promote Chinese culture in the outside world."

"We launched the poster drawing a few weeks before the Chinese New Year, so the ethnic Chinese children can learn to draw something about the tradition Chinese festival in their paintings while non-Chinese children can have a better understanding of Chinese culture by drawing the posters and participating in the competition."

"For the ethnic Chinese children, this is the way to help them hold on to their cultural root," Xu said, adding that most of her students are all born and raised in Britain.

Han Dong, chief executive officer of the London-based Creative Time Media, told Xinhua that the candidates are very creative in their paintings.

"The posters vary in different styles," Han said. "They show you many things which are very Chinese, culturally."

"For example, the use of bright color and the poster layout give you a feeling that a high-speed Chinese train is travelling across Asia and Europe along the Silk Road," Han said. "Some posters show the children's love of China and Chinese culture."

Learning to write and read Chinese characters is the first step to understand Chinese culture, he said.

"It is very important to learn Chinese because Chinese is the language of the 21st century," Kim Botting, councillor from Orpington Ward in the London borough of Bromley. "I will continue to encourage more and more British children to learn Chinese."

The Real Chinese Academy was founded in 2006 and it has been dedicating to teaching children Chinese and spreading Chinese culture in London.

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