As spring approaches, the “Artistic Depiction of Hongshan Culture” has unveiled a new experience activity. At the BER Space Floral Art Studio in Shenyang City, capital of Liaoning Province, two international students from Japan and Ghana were offered an opportunity to learn flower mud cutting techniques from Zhang Shuai, a floral art designer. They engaged in drawing and cutting the contour of C-shaped dragon, a representative cultural relic of the Hongshan Culture, out of jasper green flower mud, greeting the arrival of spring with the “C-shaped dragons” adorned with blossoming flowers.

The C-shaped dragon is the largest known jade dragon of the Hongshan Culture which is praised as the “first dragon in China”. Under the guidance of Zhang Shuai, the international students drew the C-shaped dragons on the flower mud. They made precise cuts along the lines of the drawn dragons on the cubic flower mud, and then soaked their creations in a water jar to make them easier for flower arrangement.

Kinmishio, a Japanese international student recently viewed the China Central Television (CCTV) documentary The Dawn of Civilization—Niuheliang Site, which features numerous ancient Chinese cultural relics. Among all, the C-shaped dragon held particular fascination for Kinmishio. Moreover, she also learned that Liaoning’s Chaoyang, where the Niuheliang Site of the Hongshan Culture is located, is the place where the most ancient flower had ever blossomed. It was beyond her anticipation that “dragon” and “flower” had such a magical connection in Liaoning.

Kinmishio inserted brightly colored flowers, such as wintersweet and freesia, into the flower mud of C-shaped dragon, while Curtis, a Ghanaian international student, opted for flowers with more vibrant colors to embellish the “C-shaped dragon” in his eyes. Looking at the “C-shaped dragon” adorned with blossoming flowers, Kinmishio said excitedly, “History and culture can be so seamlessly integrated into our lives. Let’s welcome spring with the ‘C-shaped dragon’ full of flowers.”