Cultural Envoys Foster International Cultural Exchange

Marking the 56th World Earth Day, district-level cultural envoy Pan Jingtao organized a special intercultural exchange at Dongliu Subdistrict's Anju Community, bringing together international students from Zhejiang Wanli University with local residents. The event featured four interactive activities where participants could identify medicinal herbs, practice language skills, explore the community garden, and decorate traditional kites - creating meaningful connections between Chinese and global cultures.

Anju Community's herbal medicine culture dates back to 2012 when resident and retired traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) practitioner Xu Changyuan discovered numerous medicinal plants in the community's green spaces. Under his guidance, residents conducted a month-long survey, identifying over 60 varieties of medicinal herbs, leading to the creation of the "Hundred Herbs Garden." This initiative sparked a lasting herbal culture in the community.

In 2023, Anju Community preserved this heritage during a renovation project, transforming an elevated space into the "Hundred Herbs Gathering Hall." To maximize the use of adjacent open space, the community collaborated with the district women's federation’s "Walking Chinese Herbs" project, recently establishing a 27-square-meter "Shared Herb Garden" as a new cultural hub.

Now 86 years old, Xu Changyuan, the longtime guardian of the garden, has passed the torch to younger generations. The Anju Community Party Committee has partnered with schools, Dongliu Community Health Center, and volunteer groups to organize intergenerational planting activities, ensuring the continuation of TCM knowledge through interactive education.

This event marked the inaugural activity in the Shared Herb Garden. Dai Xingxing, a TCM doctor from Dongliu Community Health Center, guided three international students and local elementary school students in identifying fresh and dried herbs. Together, they planted medicinal herbs and labeled them. Retired TCM practitioner Xu Xiaozhen has taken up the mantle of maintaining the garden, with student volunteers assisting in daily care. Future plans include herbal harvesting during the Dragon Boat Festival, crafting herb sachets, and brewing medicinal teas, allowing deeper immersion in traditional culture.

Under volunteer guidance, the international students and children also experienced the intangible cultural heritage of kite-making, creating personalized designs. Many students cherished their hand-painted kites as keepsakes.

After the event, the international students expressed admiration for the depth of Chinese herbal culture, vowing to share their newfound knowledge in their home countries, allowing TCM traditions to transcend borders and captivate the world.