外国人学中国人的春节传统

Foreign residents in Shanghai numbered more than 170,000 at the end of last year, according to official figures. As the cosmopolitan city welcomes new foreign faces each year, it also gives them a crash course in traditional Chinese customs.

An unconventional class to warm up the Spring Festival. Though nowadays many Chinese choose to buy printed couplets, for curious new comers it's a novel hands-on experience to hold a pen brush.

Tabitha Booth from the UK, has been in China for one and a half years. She said apart from learning the spoken language, it is also important to know the context behind the language.

"Chinese characters are very complicated to write compare to the alphabet I used to write usually. Holding a pen brush at angle is also unusual for me. I think my piece of paper looked good at the end of the class. And at this time of this year, it is very useful to know these kinds of words because they are everywhere above every one's door. so now I would be able to recognize what everything says," she said.

Apart from being able to recognize character's on the couplets at doors, Tabitha has also acquired the skills of making Chinese jiaozi or dumplings.

Dumplings are a staple food item for many families on Chinese new year's eve.

For Arnold Hinojosa, an American in Shanghai, he says learning to make his favourite Chinese food is a skill he intends to hone over time.

"Dumplings are actually one of my favourite foods. It is something I'll take back to England. We’re are moving back to England this summer, my wife is English. I'll be able to make dumplings for my families, now I’ll be able to enjoy dumplings wherever we go," he said.

Getting together with families is the spirit of the festival but sharing the fun with new friends is also part of it.