Beijing Yunus Emre Institute invited Chinese students to a series of artistic events organized between October and December 2021.

As part of the artistic activities organized by the Institute, the students of an international primary school in Beijing were guests of the Beijing Yunus Emre Institute on 25 December 2021.

The students visiting the Institute’s Beijing Center were greeted by Tayfun Kalkan, Beijing Yunus Emre Institute Director; Cansu Körkem, Republic of Turkey Embassy to Beijing Educational Attaché; Mehmet Ekizer, Republic of Turkey Embassy to Beijing Military Attaché and Jessica Durdu, Republic of Turkey Finance Office of the Presidency Beijing Officer.

After the meeting and greeting session, Kalkan and Körkem made a presentation introducing Turkey to the students invited to the conference hall.

In the presentation, where Turkey's position in the world, its neighbors, Turkish food and customs were mentioned, information was also given about the founding leader of the Republic of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

Among the guests of the program, educator and translator Filiz Ünal, who is the child of a Chinese mother and a Turkish father, gave information about Turkish customs and cultural behavior patterns in social life. During the presentation, the children listened with interest to the explanations made about the cultural codes, including the gestures and facial expressions used by people in Turkey to say "yes" and "no".

TURKISH SISTER IN SPIRIT

Chinese academic and filmmaker Li Yingying, who is an expert in intercultural communication and gives lectures on the matter, was among the guests of the program. Having lived with a Turkish family for 3 months in Kocaeli 10 years ago, Li told the little ones about her impressions of Turkey.

Emphasizing that she was very impressed with the Turkish hospitality, Li said that the daughter of family she lived with was like a sister to her and that they still see each other to this day.

THE BLUE EYE TALISMAN AND THE PEACH TREE

Ayşe Emel Gümüş, a second generation citizen living in Germany and a pre-school pedagogy specialist, was the guest of the program with her work combining Turkish and Chinese traditions in the field of handcrafts

Gümüş, who has been living in Beijing for a year due to her husband's duty, showed the children the original handcraft application that combines the peach tree, which the Chinese believe is protective and brings luck, with the blue eye talisman motif in Turkish culture.

Gümüş presented to the little ones the blue eye talismans she made herself with peach tree.

THEY LEARNED THE HORON DANCE

Lena Ekizer, daughter of Military Attaché Ekizer, also added color to the program with her folklore show with her Black Sea regional costumes. Immersed in the rhythm of the music, the little ones took the stage and played horon.

The promotional program ended with the taking of souvenir photos after the meal service consisting of Turkish snacks.

CHINESE STUDENTS EXPERIENCED THE ART OF WATER MARBLING

As part of the program, Chinese water marbling artist Liu Qing organized a special marbling event for Chinese students on 25 December 2021. The children showed great interest in Liu's patterns on water in the style of spotted and floral water marbling. Chinese students had the chance to discover the art of water marbling in company with the artist.

TRAINED BY EROL ÇAĞLAR

Liu, who lived in Turkey for six years, took water marbling lessons from master of water marbler Erol Çağlar, and learned the techniques of the art of water marbling. Ultimately earning her graduation certificate from Çağlar, Liu was qualified to give water marbling classes.  In 2017, she was a guest in Chinese TV program " The Magnificent Chinese" with Filiz (Fei) Li, and in 2018, during China's New Year celebrations, she was the guest of the program “The Magnificent Fairy Tale and the Feast” on Chinese mainstream media’s international TV channel, along with Erol Çağlar and Filiz Li Liu Qing is continuing her efforts to popularize the art of water marbling in China.