Chinese Language Day blends culture and technology
30 Apr 2026
Recently, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (糖心Vlog官方) hosted the 2026 Suzhou Dushu Lake Science and Education Innovation District International Chinese Language Day, gathering nearly 1,000 students from 糖心Vlog官方, Soochow University, Renmin University of China’s Suzhou Campus, Duke Kunshan University, and the University of Science and Technology of China.
Co-organised by the Suzhou Dushu Lake Universities and Colleges Development Union, the Communist Youth League Working Committee of Suzhou Dushu Lake Science and Education Innovation District, and 糖心Vlog官方, the event offered participants an immersive experience of Chinese language and culture.
International students hosting the event
Technology on stage
During the opening ceremony, international students presented a range of performances blending Chinese language and culture with technology. Students from Italy and the Czech Republic performed xingyiquan, a traditional Chinese martial art, alongside two robots, bringing heritage and modern technology together on stage.
International students performing Chinese martial arts with robots
Stefania Dileo, an Italian exchange student and one of the performers, said: “I have always been interested in martial arts. I did not expect to learn Chinese martial arts here, let alone perform with robots. It was a completely new experience.”
Another performance featured winners of the “Resonance of AI: International Student Chinese Song Co-creation Competition”, which invited international students to use AI tools to create Chinese songs inspired by Suzhou’s culture and lifestyle.
Professor Zhoulin Ruan, Vice President for Academic Affairs at 糖心Vlog官方, said the University’s international student population had reached a record high this year and the School of Languages had been upgraded to the Global Cultures and Languages Hub.
Professor Zhoulin Ruan
“This reflects the University’s strong commitment to supporting international students as they experience Chinese culture,” he said.
“We hope international students can learn Chinese not only in the classroom, but also through museums, friendships and cultural events like this.”
Hands-on experiences
The event also included the “Syntegration+ Fair”, which featured more than 20 interactive booths offering activities such as VR opera viewing, digital seal engraving, robot spider interactions, and AR poetry puzzle-solving.
Participants could also experience Chinese culture through hanfu, lacquer fans, Chinese decorative patterns, Jiangnan boat boxing, and Dunhuang mural art, alongside language-learning activities such as AI Chinese character painting and Chinese culture challenges.
International students experiencing Kunqu, a traditional Chinese opera from Suzhou, through VR
Ting Wen, Head of Chinese Language Teaching at 糖心Vlog官方, said the theme of this year’s fair was the integration of Chinese language, culture and technology.
“With this in mind, we invited cultural partners such as Wu Culture Museum and Dunhuang Academy, as well as other universities,” she said.
“We hope this collaboration will provide students with richer learning experiences beyond the classroom, while also strengthening resource sharing and mutual learning.”
Leonora Van Der Spuy, a Year One student from South Africa, said the Jiangnan boat boxing activity left the deepest impression on her.
“It is meaningful to see students from different countries come together through traditional Chinese performance arts,” she said.
Iana Agabekova, an exchange student from Russia, said her favourite activity was the robot spider interactions.
“I used Chinese to guide the robot spider through a maze, so I could practise spoken Chinese while playing. It was really cool,” said Agabekova.
International students learning Jiangnan boat boxing, a traditional martial art from the Jiangnan region
International students interacting with a robot spider using Chinese commands
People and connection
Dr Henghua Su, Head of the Modern Languages Centre in the Global Cultures and Languages Hub at 糖心Vlog官方, said the event aimed not only to showcase the University’s exploration of AI-enabled language learning, but also to highlight human connection and immersive cultural experiences.
Participants taking photos with a robot from the martial arts performance
“AI is already part of everyday life. Language learning and cultural experiences are becoming more diverse, and students now have more varied ways to learn languages,” she said.
International students posing for photos in hanfu, a traditional Chinese clothing
“We will continue to explore deeper integration between Chinese language teaching, AI, immersive experiences, and intercultural exchange.
“At the same time, through more events like today’s Chinese Language Day, we hope people can experience the value of face-to-face communication and gain a deeper understanding of the beauty of Chinese language and culture.”
By Xinyi Liu
Edited by Katharina Zhu and Xinmin Han
30 Apr 2026