Ceramics bring cultures closer

For international students Leandra Unterberg, Carlotta Rose, Michelle Rusyaeua, Erik Grigoryan and Yasir Mehmood, ceramic restoration offered a hands-on way to engage with Chinese cultural heritage — both challenging and enjoyable.

June 13 marked China's Cultural and Natural Heritage Day. To celebrate the occasion, the Changning district culture and tourism bureau in Shanghai organized a cultural heritage event featuring interactive experiences, including ceramic restoration.

The workshop was held on June 12, when the five international students from Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Tongji University joined the activity alongside Chinese participants, experiencing traditional craftsmanship up close.

Seated around tables filled with broken ceramic fragments, glue and restoration tools, students carefully worked to piece the objects back together, guided by instructors. The quiet, focused setting contrasted with the busy urban surroundings outside, as participants concentrated on aligning each fragment and restoring the broken pieces step by step.

For Rose from Germany, the activity offered both discovery and peace of mind.

"It is good to experience something that I had never encountered before," she said."I like the calm atmosphere, where I can concentrate on small details."

That sense of discovery also extends into her daily life in Shanghai. "Life here is very different from that in Germany. There is so much to see and do," she said, adding that she has often seen local residents playing board games and dancing in public squares.

"They kindly invited me to join, and it was fun," she said.

Unterberg found the restoration process difficult. "You need to stay focused throughout the process," she said. But she believes the effort is necessary. "We should all treat cultural relics with care."

Like Rose, Unterberg has also developed a growing interest in China through daily life in Shanghai.

"At a park in Changning district that I often walk by, there are people practicing calligraphy with water brushes on the ground. It is fascinating," she said.

She has also participated in other cultural experiences with friends, including a tea ceremony.

"I've always been curious about the differences and similarities between Chinese and European tea culture," she said.

Rusyaeua highlighted her appreciation of Chinese culinary culture, including dumplings, steamed buns, noodles, wontons and Peking roast duck, which she said are very different from her usual diet.

"Chinese culinary culture is one of the oldest in the world and very different from that of Europe," she said. "When I go back home, I would like to cook Chinese dishes for my family and tell them about my experience in China."

Mehmood said the activity helped him better understand traditional craftsmanship.

"Before coming here, I had only read about ceramic restoration in books," he said. "My biggest takeaway is that it requires patience and concentration."

He added that the process carried symbolic meaning.

"By restoring the ceramic, we are restoring history. Although the object was broken, we brought it back to life by connecting the pieces."

Beyond the workshop, Mehmood has also experienced other aspects of Chinese culture, including moon cake making, Peking Opera performances and dragon boat racing.

He said that when he returns to Pakistan, he will share his experiences with his friends and family.

"I think it's a great way to bridge cultural gaps between China and Pakistan and promote mutual understanding."

Experts say such personal exchanges reflect the broader value of hands-on cultural experiences in deepening understanding across cultures.

"Replacing one-way explanation with immersive experiences like ceramic restoration can reduce cultural barriers and encourage emotional connection," said Zhang Zhuo, a researcher at the Institute of Journalism of Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences.

She added that such activities help transform abstract cultural symbols into tangible skills, allowing participants to better understand traditional craftsmanship. International students, she noted, can serve as cultural connectors who help share their experiences with wider audiences after returning home.

"As cross-cultural communication nodes, international students can help extend the reach of Chinese cultural heritage through word-of-mouth sharing," she said.