On Tuesday the 7th of June, our Year 10 Chinese GCSE class went on a Chinese study and culture trip to the British Museum and Chinatown.
At the British Museum we visited the Chinese ceramic exhibition in which we viewed the ancient sculptures and pottery, reading the history behind them and how they were made. It gave us an insight into ancient Chinese culture and history. We also saw the Japanese exhibition where we viewed historic objects such as armour and weapons used in the past as well as wooden sculptures, later comparing the differences between the Chinese and Japanese expeditions. There were many interesting items in both expeditions, like the samurai armour in the Japanese exhibition and the detailed dragon pottery in the Chinese Ceramic exhibition.
We then walked to Chinatown. We saw the traditional Chinese decorations like red lanterns hanging in the street. The first place we visited was a Chinese bookshop called Guang Hua. As well as books for learning Mandarin Chinese (like our own GCSE book) the shop had photography books showcasing the landscapes in China and had traditional Chinese story books. Downstairs, there was a Chinese calligraphy and painting section where we saw banners showcasing Chinese landmarks and saw the materials that would be used to create Chinese artwork. Then we visited a typical Chinese supermarket, which was very different to the ones we would normally see. It sells many different foods that are important in Chinese cuisine. We could not miss to opportunity to buy some Chinese sweet and snacks there such as the white rabbit and lucky candies.
Another highlight of the trip is our Chinese lunch. We went to the Golden Phoenix Chinese restaurant to try some authentic dishes like dim sum and fried meat dishes with noodles. In order to experience Chinese culinary culture, we ordered the dishes and ate like they would do in China, ticking the Chinese dim sum names on the menu and shared with many dishes in the middle of the table among everyone. And of course, we used chopsticks with the food. Finally, we had some free time to wander in Chinatown and ordered the most popular drink in Asia: the Bubble Tea (珍珠奶茶) as our desserts!
We thoroughly enjoyed the Chinese Study Day Trip today as it provides an excellent opportunity for us to experience some Chinese traditions and culture.
Written by Year 10 students, Bleddyn and Rex.
