The Nottingham Confucius Institute (NCI) concluded its fourth annual Summer School on 30 July, delivering another successful blend of Mandarin language learning with cultural discovery. Running every Wednesday evening (9-30 July) at the Si Yuan Centre, the event welcomed nearly 80 participants aged 10 to over 70, all eager to explore Chinese language and traditions.
This year's Summer School featured seven tailored Mandarin classes for different ability levels, all led by experienced teachers from Fudan University. Through interactive methods like role-play and multimedia resources, participants developed practical language skills in a supportive environment.
The cultural programme offered a special focus each week, with Week 1 exploring four iconic Chinese cities (Xi'an, Chongqing, Guilin and Hangzhou) through a travel-themed cultural talk. Week 2 celebrated China's rich musical heritage with a workshop on traditional wind instruments including the Bamboo Flute, Xun and Xiao, featuring live performances by musicians from the Beijing Diyun Qinsheng Art Troupe. In Week 3, participants delved into Chinese opera and created their own Chinese opera masks in a hands-on workshop.
"The Summer School has been wonderful," shared one attendee. "I've not only improved my Mandarin but also gained a new appreciation for Chinese culture."
The programme concluded with a festive closing ceremony on 30 July, including a Chinese buffet, traditional games such as mahjong, go and touhu and a prize draw awarding six scholarships for NCI's Autumn Mandarin courses. With such positive feedback, many participants are already anticipating next year's programme.
