On 4th February 2025, Chinese teacher of the Confucius Institute in Artois Qiu Shuzhen was invited to Jeannine Manuel International School in Lille to conduct a Chinese Ink-Blowing Painting Workshop. The event lasted for three hours and was attended by a total of around 50 pupils and 35 secondary school students.
From 9:00 to 11:00, Ms. Qiu conducted an ink blowing painting workshop in two of the Grade 4 classes. Ms. Qiu first greeted the students in Chinese and both parties had a brief dialogue in Chinese. Next, Ms. Qiu showed some of the completed ink-blowing paintings and introduced the ancient poem ‘Plum Blossom’. The students felt the rhythm of the Chinese language as they recited the poem. Later the students shared with Ms. Qiu their own feelings about the process of learning Chinese. Afterwards, the students started to create their own artwork by following the steps of ink-blowing painting. Each student completed a unique plum blossom painting in the end.
From 13:00 to 14:00, Ms. Qiu led the students in an ink-blowing painting experience in the first grade of the secondary school. The Chinese learners appreciated the ancient poem ‘Plum Blossom’ with more emphasis on understanding the verses and exchanged ideas with Ms. Qiu about the Chinese characters in the verses. The students then worked on their ink-blowing paintings and copied the verses onto their paintings. The local Chinese teacher said that the paintings would be displayed on the wall in the corridor of the school to attract more students to be interested in Chinese.
The ink-blowing painting workshop brought an experience of ancient Chinese poetry and painting related topics to the Chinese learners at the school; it inspired the students to be passionate about Chinese poetry and the art of painting.