Zichuan: International Students from Shandong Normal University Visit Zhenhua Glass Art

On February 3rd, international students from Shandong Normal University visited Zibo Zhenhua Glass Art, embarking on an immersive cultural practice journey into Qilu intangible cultural heritage. Amidst the flowing colors and radiant beauty of glass, they encountered oriental craftsmanship and experienced the unique charm of traditional Chinese techniques.

Guided by a docent, the students successively visited the hot-sculpting workshop, the lampworking area, and the Glass Art Museum, commencing a millennia-spanning exploration of glass culture. In the production workshop, they watched as artisans transformed molten glass into vivid and varied artworks through exquisite techniques such as blowing, twisting, pulling, and stretching. The international students stood transfixed, marveling at the craftsmen's consummate skill. In the lampworking area, artisans used torches as their brushes and glass rods as their ink, shaping delicate and lifelike glass ornaments under intense heat.

Entering the Glass Art Museum, the students followed the exhibition narrative to systematically learn about the thousand-year journey of Chinese glassware—from its origins in the Western Zhou Dynasty, through its golden age in the Han and Tang Dynasties, to its contemporary innovation—grasping the vibrant, living legacy of this intangible cultural heritage.

After the event, the international students expressed that they would serve as bridges for cultural exchange between China and their home countries, carrying the cherished memories of this Zibo glass journey back with them and introducing more overseas friends to the profound cultural significance of China's intangible heritage.