On April 18, ahead of UN Chinese Language Day, the School of Foreign Languages of Jiangsu Open University, together with Nanjing Ben Wei Yuan Agricultural Technology Co., Ltd., the International Education School of Jiangsu Maritime Vocational College, and the Teaching Management Center for OUC Branch, jointly held a cultural exchange event themed Grain Rain Nourishes the Earth, Chinese Characters Take Root: Sowing Cultural Seeds, Harvesting World Friendship. The event attracted over 30 international students from more than ten countries and nearly 30 local primary school students in Nanjing.
The event integrated farming culture, Chinese character culture, solar term culture, and international exchange through four activity stations: Grain Rain Spring Planting Camp, Bilingual Signage Workshop, Ancient Rhyme Reading Corner, and Chinese Character Challenge. Participants engaged in eight activities, learning Chinese and experiencing culture in a farm setting.
In the planting area, international students and local students worked in pairs to sow peanuts, plant corn, and harvest potatoes, experiencing traditional farming wisdom. In the bilingual signage area, they made plant signs in both Chinese and the students' native languages. In the reading area, participants recited Grain Rain-themed poems. In the character recognition area, they explored the origins of Chinese characters and their connection to farming civilization.
JSOU remains committed to cultural heritage, innovation, and international exchange, actively serving the Belt and Road Initiative. This event represents a practical step in innovative international Chinese language education and cultural dissemination. Moving forward, the university will continue to develop cultural exchange activities to promote the creative transformation of traditional Chinese culture, enhance China's cultural soft power, and build friendships through cultural exchange.