International students celebrate Chinese New Year in Nanjing Jiangbei New Area. [Photo/WeChat account: njjbxqgwh]

More than 50 overseas Chinese students and international students from Nanjing Tech University and Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology gathered on Feb 2 in Nanjing Jiangbei New Area for an immersive celebration of the Chinese New Year.

At the square of the Xingzhiyuan Cultural Exchange Center, teachers demonstrated the traditional dragon flag dance. Students eagerly joined in, guiding the colorful ribbon dragon as it swirled and leapt through the air.

The group later gathered to make dumplings from scratch — rolling out wrappers, adding fillings, and sealing the edges with care — sharing laughs as they enjoyed one of the holiday's most cherished traditions.

Students make dumplings. [Photo/WeChat account: njjbxqgwh]

Calligraphy teachers wrote the character "Fu", symbolizing good fortune, and many international students picked up brushes to try their hand at Chinese writing. Together, they also created a long scroll painting celebrating the vitality of the Year of the Horse.

After the meal, participants made tanghulu, the classic candied hawthorn treat. From melting sugar to skewering the fruit and coating it in syrup, the hands-on activity added a sweet finish to the day.

Participants visit a local agricultural innovation center. [Photo/WeChat account: njjbxqgwh]

The cultural experience extended beyond tradition. Students visited a local agricultural innovation center, where they learned about soil-testing equipment and intelligent water- and fertilizer-management systems. By operating smart devices firsthand, they gained insight into how technology is transforming modern agriculture and driving new productivity growth.