As the Spring Festival kicked off and the overseas Chinese culture filled the city, during the 2026 Year of the Horse Spring Festival, international teachers from Shantou University walked into the streets and alleys of Shantou, deeply participating in various New Year customs activities. They tasted Chaoshan delicacies, watched folk performances, and admired the Lantern Festival exhibition. Amidst the hustle and bustle and cultural charm, they felt the unique allure of the Chinese Spring Festival and the hospitality of Chaoshan people, spending an unforgettable Chinese New Year.

The flavor of the New Year begins with fireworks, and food connects people's hearts. On the evening of February 13, Associate Professor Adonay Barbara Perez Luengo from Cuba and her husband, Postdoctoral Fellow Vicent Michael Shija from Tanzania and his family, and Postdoctoral Fellow Anwar Ullah from Pakistan and his family from the College of Science walked into Shantou Hefeng Food Street together, starting a journey of Chaoshan delicacies. They sat around to taste classic Chaoshan snacks such as oyster omelet, stir-fried rice cake, and beef balls — the crispy-on-the-outside and tender-on-the-inside oyster omelet wrapped in the fresh aroma of fish sauce, the chewy beef balls, and the soft and flavorful stir-fried rice cake all demonstrate the life attitude of Chaoshan people. Every bite made international teachers praise, allowing them to truly experience the Chaoshan New Year flavor on the tip of the tongue.

Subsequently, STU international teachers watched the Yingge Dance performance at Hefeng Food Street. The passionate drumbeats, vigorous dance moves, and gorgeous costumes instantly ignited the festive atmosphere at the scene. The interantional teachers were deeply attracted by this Chaoshan intangible cultural heritage performance that combines strength and beauty, constantly taking out their mobile phones to record the wonderful moments and taking photos with the performers. After the performance, everyone wandered along the food street and experienced making red peach cakes — under the guidance of local craftsmen, they kneaded the cake skin, filled the stuffing, and pressed the cake mold, finally making the unique "peach" shape of red peach cakes. Through the touch of their fingertips, they understood the beautiful wishes of prosperity, good luck, longevity and health carried by the red peach cakes.

On the second day of the Lunar New Year, the vibe of the New Year became even stronger. Postdoctoral Fellow Muhammad Ali from Pakistan and his family from the College of Science went to Shantou Inner Bay area to watch the 2026 Spring Festival Grand Fireworks Show. As the first ultra-large-scale performance in China combining "100,000 fireworks + 10,000 drones", it perfectly integrated the scene of mountain and sea with the wonder of fireworks. The bright fireworks bloomed in the night sky, reflecting the waves of the Inner Gulf, like a dream. As Ali said: "My wife, children and I all enjoyed this fireworks show very much. The sky full of splendor was shocking, and this is the most spectacular scene I have ever seen."

The Lantern Festival adds joy, and the lantern styles reflect the culture of overseas Chinese. On the Lantern Festival, the 2026 Shantou Small Park International Lantern Exhibition officially kicked off. Professor Ashok Kumar Singhvi from India and his wife from the College of Science, Postdoctoral Fellow Aman Garg from India from the College of Engineering, and others went to the Small Park with the accompany of staff from STU International Office. At the lantern festival, the lights were brilliant and festive, while the century-old arcade buildings was decorated with lanterns. Folk performances such as Dragon and Horse Dance, Yingge Dance, and Dragon Dance were staged in turn, and a cultural feast with a long overseas Chinese charm slowly unfolded. Aman Garg was deeply moved by the beautiful scenery in front of him. He said: "I think the lantern festival is very beautiful and it is a wonderful experience. I will tell everyone that Chinese culture is great, and everyone should come to China at least once in their life to feel the culture here." Anita Singhvi, Professor Ashok's wife, could not hide her excitement: "Since I came to Shantou, I have been wanting to visit the old town here. The arcades here are very distinctive, and this trip made me very happy." Professor Ashok shared his feelings, saying that he found many similarities between Chinese and Indian cultures. For example, the performance form of Yingge Dance is similar to that of some traditional Indian dances. "Since 1992, I have been to China more than 20 times. Every time, I can feel China's new progress, and I am fascinated by China and its development process."

From the curling smoke of the food street to the sky full of splendor of the fireworks show, from the warm interaction of making red peach cakes by hand to the flowing overseas Chinese culture of the Lantern Festival, this Spring Festival, the international teachers of Shantou University now gained a better understanding of Chinese Spring Festival and Chaoshan culture. This Spring Festival experience not only made the teachers feel the inclusiveness and enthusiasm of Shantou, but also built a bridge for cultural exchange between China and foreign countries, allowing them to spend a complete, happy and meaningful Chinese New Year in Shantou, and enabling international friends to develop a deeper understanding and love for Chinese culture and Chaoshan customs.

Photos: Muhammad Ali,

WeChat Video Account "Civilized Shantou" of Shantou Municipal Publicity Department,

Wechat Video Account of the News Interview Center of Shantou Media Group