On the occasion of the 86th anniversary of Kelaniya Sri Dharmaloka College, an exhibition called "Harasara" was held at the school on October 4, 2024, after a gap of five years. The purpose of the exhibition was to provide knowledge about various subject areas, highlight their importance, and showcase the opportunities available through those subjects.
Along with this exhibition, one of the stalls was vibrantly filled with Chinese cultural items. Mr. Akalanka Dasun Sanjeewa, who is currently teaching Chinese at Dharmaloka College, and his students organized the booth. He is a graduate of the University of Kelaniya. A permanent teacher arrived at Dharmaloka College to teach Chinese in February 2024. Currently, there are about ten students studying Chinese at the school, and they hope to increase this number in the future.
For this Chinese cultural exhibition, Mr. Wu Hongyuan, the Chinese co-director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Kelaniya, and Dr. Jani Samarakoon, the Sri Lankan co-director, along with Chinese lecturers and staff members from the Confucius Institute, were invited. Dr. Wu Hongyuan and Dr. Jani Samarakoon guidance was especially instrumental in making these exhibitions successful.
Dharmaloka College warmly welcomed them, and they taught both students and teachers various aspects of Chinese culture, including Chinese calligraphy, paper cutting, and Chinese knots. These activities received a warm response, and the booth was packed with students and teachers from the start to the end of the exhibition.
Students were shown how to hold the brush while writing Chinese characters, showcasing the beauty of Chinese script. As part of the demonstration, students wrote "I love Sri Lanka" (我爱兰卡) and "I love China" (我爱中国). Through this activity, they gained a deeper appreciation for the breadth and depth of Chinese characters and the charm of the art of calligraphy.
During the paper cutting experience, students created their own masterpieces, showcasing the skill and creativity involved in the art of paper cutting. In the Chinese Knot Experience activity, students learned to weave basic knots such as the Double Money Knot, Lucky Knot, and Lucky Cloud Knot, allowing them to experience the intricacy and mastery of traditional knot-weaving techniques.
This exhibition of Chinese cultural experiences received an enthusiastic response from the teachers and students of Sri Dharmaloka College. It not only provided a platform for learning Chinese but also sparked a strong interest in traditional Chinese culture among all attendees. In the future, the Confucius Institute at the University of Kelaniya will continue its efforts to build bridges for cultural exchange between Sri Lanka and China.
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