Team “The Oriental Dialogue” is proud to present our flagship one of a kind festival – A Date With China. This Sunday i.e the 20th of October, we are hosting our first and grand Chinese cultural festival at Cafe Katha on F.C Road from 3 pm to 6 pm.
As an institute that is closely associated with “all things” China, we wanted to create a beautiful, culture-driven experience to reveal some unknown facets of the Chinese heritage. That is how “A Date With China” was born.
For the past one month, our team has been working super hard to make this festival memorable and unique. We have pulled out all stops and are ready to take you on this amazing ride with us.
So, what’s in store for you?
Well, apart from our great company *wink wink* here’s a glimpse of all the activities we have planned for you:
Calligraphy – Chinese calligraphy dates back to pre-historic times. There are many styles of calligraphy in China that are flourishing to date. Even today, calligraphy is considered one of the highest forms of art in the country. We will have a live stall where participants can try their hand at Chinese Calligraphy with our experts to guide them!
Chinese Tea – China is known as the birthplace of tea. There are many flavours of ‘tea’ which come from their tea plants. The Chinese are connoisseurs of finely brewed tea. In addition to this, a wide variety of flowers are drunk as teas; many are used for medicinal purposes, whilst others are enjoyed for their flavour. You will get to taste one of the most authentic flavours of Chinese Tea at our festival.
Mask Painting – Masks have been an integral part of Chinese Opera. Each character has a different colour to symbolise his/her qualities. Traditionally the masks were made of wood/clay. Today they have become a collector’s item and an art. We have prepared some absolutely breath-taking masks for you to try on.
Origami and Paper Folding – Chinese paper folding, or zhézhǐ is an art that originated in medieval China. Across the world, it is more popularly known by its Japanese name “Origami”. The paper crane is the most classic of all zhézhǐ. Legend has it that if one folds a thousand cranes, one wish is granted to him/her. You can learn and enjoy this ancient art form at our Date.
The Art of Paper Cutting – This Chinese folk art dates back to around 3 BC, long before modern paper was invented. Papercutting originated from ancient activities of worshipping one’s ancestors and Gods. Today they are used as decorations and are considered auspicious just like the Indian Rangoli. We will be teaching you some fundamentals of this unknown gem from Chinese culture.
Find Your Chinese Name – Chinese names are composed of 2 parts: the family name (the surname) and the given name (the first name of the person). In China, the first part is the family name and the latter part is the given name. Names are usually given by parents. Three-character names are the most common ones. There are also two-character names and four-character names. One needs to have a Chinese name because our names can’t be written in Chinese script as Chinese doesn’t have alphabets! We will diligently help you in finding your perfect Chinese name at the festival.
Chopsticks Demonstration – It is customary in China to eat your food only with chopsticks. You are considered ill-mannered if you use your hands or spoons when eating a meal. It is believed that the chopsticks have a history of more than 4000 years and were made of twigs. They are used in many Asian countries. One needs to learn the proper etiquettes of using chopsticks while eating. If you can pick up 3 peanuts in chopsticks, you are a pro!
Dumplings – What is a date without some delicious food! We will be serving mouth-watering dumplings at our festival. Shaped like the traditional Chinese currency ‘yuanbao’, dumplings have a culinary as well as cultural significance. They are one of the major dishes eaten during the Chinese New Year celebrations. Dumplings can be sweet or savoury, fried or steamed, vegetarian or meat-based. And if you are a Kung Fu Panda fan we invite you to savour his favourite dish at our Date.
Find Your Chinese Zodiac Sign – The Chinese zodiac is based on a 12-year cycle. Every year corresponds to a different animal symbol and can tell a lot about your personality, interests and can also be used to determine your fortune for the year. Our experts will help you in finding your Chinese zodiac sign. But wait it doesn’t end here – our in-house fortune teller will reveal some insights about what 2020 will look like for you!
Trivia Quiz – We are also hosting a fun trivia contest which will test your knowledge about the land of dragons. If you are a geek about China (like us) this will be a cakewalk for you. So get ready and put your thinking caps on for this one!
Phew! We don’t think there is a better way to spend a Sunday than this. We promise you a joyful, exciting and lovely Date. To tell you the truth, we can’t wait for you to come down and party with us TOD style!
See you on Sunday! 🙂
