North students and exchange students from Beijing Jingshan School in China celebrated the Mid-Autumn Festival and the return of the Jingshan Exchange Program with cultural performances and food Saturday, Sept. 21. The celebration was presented by the Jingshan Exchange Program and the Jennifer Price Global Education Leadership Fund (GELF).

“It was a really special night and I think it really represented East Asian culture super well,” said senior Kai Wollaber.

The Mid-Autumn Festival is a major holiday in the Chinese Calendar, marking a time for family reunions, gatherings with friends, and admiring the moon, which is said to be at its brightest and roundest, according to a video linked on the event’s RSVP website.

“I love cultural events like these, and having grown up in a Chinese household, this was really amazing to go to and it felt amazing to see my culture celebrated like that,” said senior Vigor Qiu. 

A highlight of the festival was a performance by the award-winning Beijing Youth Performance Troupe from Beijing Normal University. The troupe presented a showcase of traditional Chinese folk dances, featuring the rich cultures of the Han, Dai, and Mongolian ethnic groups, alongside performances on traditional Chinese instruments, including the flute, erhu, pipa, dulcimer, and guzheng. 

“My favorite part was definitely Tranquil Tales,” said senior Kai Wollaber,

Tranquil Tales is a celebrated work that captures the tranquil beauty of Jiangnan water towns, reminiscent of misty rain and serene village life.

The gala also featured a collaboration between the Beijing performers and students from Newton North and Newton South high schools, marking the restarting of the Newton-Beijing Jingshan Exchange Program, the oldest US-China secondary school exchange program in the country.

“I think it would be super exciting to go, especially since it’s so immersive and is so much longer than any other exchange,” said Qiu.

“I love seeing other people going on exchanges, like the Italian and French ones, and I always wished that I could do that too, and to finally have a Chinese exchange is so amazing. I think the Newton North exchange programs are such a rare opportunity,” said senior Vanessa Forsythe.

Chinese students from the exchange program will be at North for the first semester this year, and students from North will travel to Beijing during the second semester.