Primary and secondary school learners, university students, and guests were invited on Wednesday and were treated to a colorful celebration at the Confucius Institute at the University of Nairobi, to mark the beginning of the year of the dragon which officially starts on Saturday. The place featured beautiful decorations with red and gold colors and lucky symbols.

Visitors got an opportunity to participate in cultural experiences including painting, papercutting and pot throwing as well as experiencing Chinese cuisines like spicy hotpot, steamed stuffed buns (包子) , Chinese hamburgers, dumplings and barbecue among others. They were also treated to heartwarming performances including face-changing, lion dance, dragon dance, drumming, Chinese opera, Chinese songs and a talent show featuring Chinese traditional clothes as well as a mixture of Chinese and Kenyan fashion.

Leah Muthoni, a student at the University of Nairobi lauded the Chinese cuisines served at the event, especially noodles and dumplings. She also appreciated the decorations, drawings, pictures and performances. Similar feelings were also shared by George Mwita, another student from the University of Nairobi who greatly enjoyed the pot throwing game.

In his welcoming speech, Professor Stephen Kiama, the vice headmaster of the University of Nairobi who doubles up as the Kenya director of the Confucius Institute, hoped this year will be a good year of development because the Chinese dragon horns represent power and strength, while the drums represent courage and energy.

Kiama said the Confucius Institute at the University of Nairobi has achieved a lot since its establishment in 2005, including winning the Confucius Institute of the Year Award seven times and pioneering the establishment of the Bachelor of Arts in the Chinese language in Kenya. “Last year, with the joint efforts of the various parties and stakeholders we established the first bachelor of education in Chinese in Kenya and we admitted the first group of students,” he said. Kiama hopes that this year the Confucius Institute will gain more force with the blessing of power, courage and vitality from the year of the Chinese dragon. He said the Confucius Institute offers a good platform for cultural exchange between China and Kenya through events like the Chinese Lunar Year celebrations. Kiama hoped that the relationship between China and Kenya would further be strengthened by the blessings of the year of the dragon.

In Chinese methodology (方法论) , the dragon has the power to control seasons, time and harvests, and it’s seen as a symbol of wealth. The Chinese consider dragons to be powerful. sympathetic, wise, kind and warm.

Architects have long turned to the past for inspiration. In this age of concrete and steel, however, they’re more likely to look for aesthetic (美学的) influence than technical know-how. But an ancient Chinese construction technique called dougong is a remarkable exception.

Consisting of a series of wooden brackets (支架) with no nails or fasteners, it is 500 years old and commonly found in Chinese architecture, such as the Forbidden City in Beijing. Many structures built during the Tang and Song dynasties featured “curtain walls” which were non-load-bearing. As a result, the unsupported wood shouldering the weight might break. Designers needed a technique which would more regularly spread the burden across their structures. Their solution was dougong.

Engineering has come a long way since the ancient Chinese building technique was fashion. But there’s a timeless quality to it. Modern designers in many areas are adopting it to produce amazing and stable work of architecture. Among them is Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, who used dougong-inspired methods for his recent buildings: Yusuhara Wooden Bridge Museum and Cafe Kureon, a2, 120-square-foot restaurant.

For architect Terrence Curry, the attraction of using ancient methods is about finding something that can “speak to Chinese identity”. His structure Dougong Cube(立方), now part of the School of Architecture, Tsinghua University in Beijing, was constructed using classical-style brackets and over2, 000boards. “It has fundamental structure of dougong, but we just aren’t using it in the way it was intended to be used. We’re really pulling it out-emphasizing its beauty and complexity, and the way it works,” said Curry, “The shape and function of dougong is directly related to properties of wood, and the ability of people who make these buildings. In this way, there’s little need for decoration because the structure and design give it its distinctive look.”

In May 2020, the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games(BOCOG) solicited(征集) medal designs worldwide. Hang Hai and his team set about preparing designs to submit to the BOCOG. Medals reflect the culture and creativity of the host country, and the team set two basic principles for their design:

First, it should continue to adopt the jade(玉) culture incorporated into the design of the Beijing 2008 medals to highlight Beijing’s status as the world’s first city to host both the Summer and Winter Games; second, it should be innovative.

“The medals of both the Beijing 2008 and 2022 Games are to honor the athletes and the Olympic spirit with traditional jade culture, ”said Hang. Jade was chosen because it has been treasured in China and symbolizes good virtue. “The difference is that the 2008 medals used the jade as a material, while the 2022 medals represent the spirit of China’s jade culture,” he added.

In the process of designing the medals, one team member, Lin Fan, conducted extensive research into China’s ancient bi. Lin finally chose a five-ring one associated with Fu Hao — a Shang Dynasty queen — as the prototype(原型) for the medals. In the final design, the opposite side of the medals has the Olympic rings engraved in the center, surrounded by five big concentric(同心的) rings. Auspicious(吉祥的) cloud patterns, as well as snowfakes and ice patterns are engraved between the circles. The cloud patterns are intended to maintain a cultural connection with the 2008 Games, while the snowflakes and ice patterns speak to the characteristics of the Winter Olympics.

The cases holding the medals are made of bamboo. “The International Olympic Committee inquired about the growth and processing of the bamboo to ensure it meets the requirements of a green Olympics and follows the concept of sustainable(可持续的) development,” Hang said.

The medals passed the quality test and were accepted by the Games’ organizing committee on January 7, 2022. The medals are officially named Tongxin and they are the result of many people’s efforts. However, the smile on the athletes’ faces as they wear them makes it all worthwhile.