On October 15th, the "Peony Crosses the Sea, A Fragrance of Maritime Affairs" themed event featuring Heze peonies at Dalian Maritime University was held in the Zhenghe Garden of the university. Over 80 international student representatives from around the world, along with a delegation from Heze City, university leaders, and representatives of Chinese and foreign faculty and students, participated in the event. Through immersive interactions, they experienced the unique charm of the peony industry up close and appreciated the beauty of traditional Chinese attire.
At the event, Prof. Shan Hongjun, President of Dalian Maritime University stated that he hopes the university and the Heze government will collaborate on cultural exchanges, coordinate efforts in industrial innovation, and jointly foster talent cultivation to advance fruitful university-local cooperation. He also expressed anticipation for the spring of next year when peonies will bloom across the university campus.
Mr. Wang Lei, Director of the Standing Committee of the Heze Municipal People's Congress, stated that he hopes to take the planting of peonies on the campus of Dalian Maritime University as an important opportunity to further deepen exchanges and cooperation between Heze and Dalian Maritime University across broader fields and at deeper levels, promoting mutual empowerment and win-win outcomes between the university and the local government.
The relevant officials from the Heze Peony Development Service Center delivered an on-site presentation on peony culture, offering a comprehensive overview of the city's peony industry achievements to the Chinese and international faculty and students present. Many international students captured detailed close-ups of the exhibits with their phones, documenting this "national beauty" originating from China.
The peony-themed product exhibition and Hanfu-themed display set up at the event became the most engaging segment for international students. Many garments incorporated peony embroidery and peony pattern designs, where the grandeur of peonies and the elegance of Hanfu styles complemented each other perfectly. With the assistance of staff, international students tried on Hanfu outfits and took photos under the autumn light. The students expressed excitement, saying this was their first hands-on experience with traditional Chinese attire, and the exquisite peony embroidery truly conveyed the unique charm of Chinese culture.
This event provided international students with the opportunity to engage closely with traditional cultural elements such as peonies and Hanfu, allowing them to deeply appreciate the beauty of Chinese national style. In the future, the university's International Students’ Education Center will continue to develop and offer a series of cultural practice courses for international students, effectively integrating the dissemination of China's outstanding traditional culture with international student education. This will further enrich the educational experience for international students, enabling them to immerse themselves in Chinese culture within the campus and become cultural ambassadors who foster friendship between China and other countries while promoting mutual learning among civilizations.
