Online Programs

This year we launched our new Youtube series called 'Nihao Mate'. This series will look at the different aspects of Chinese culture and language in a fun and engaging way. 

We will be releasing new videos regularly so subscribe to our channel to keep up to date.  

Nihao Mate Episodes

Do Chinese Celebrate Christmas?

How to say 'wear' in Mandarin Chinese? 穿 or 戴?

How to say 'a little' or 'a bit' in Mandarin Chinese？一点儿 or 有点儿?

Do you know all the different ways to use 看？

How to say 'old' in Mandarin Chinese? 老 or 旧?

Chinese Idioms 成语: Ever feel like you're playing music for a cow 对牛弹琴? 

How to say 'can' in Mandarin Chinese? 能 or 会?

Chinese Valentine's Day 七夕 and 520 | Chinese celebrate Valentine's Day 3 times a year?

How to say 'late' in Mandarin Chinese? 迟到、晚点、延误 or 没赶上?

How much do you know about Confucius?

Australian's trying Malatang Hotpot for the first time

Trying snacks eaten in China | How to describe different flavours in Mandarin Chinese

To visit our YouTube Channel and view all our videos click here

Some of these activities are also offered as part of the Children's University program.

On the 7th of May this year, The Confucius Institute at The University of Adelaide together with ACYA (Australia China Youth Association) hosted a live China Ready Webinar to celebrate UN Chinese Language day. The webinar featured several guest speakers who discussed the relevant aspects of Chinese language, culture, business and study opportunities as they relate to those with a keen interest in China. 

This is a recording of the webinar held Thursday 15 April 2021.

About this event:

Join Leonie McKeon, China-Educated Strategist, in conversation with Dr Gerry Groot, Senior Lecturer in Chinese Studies, as they discuss how you can make a career out of language and related country studies.

About the speakers:

Leonie McKeon, China-Educated Strategist Leonie McKeon is an Australian China-educated strategist who teaches the rules that drive business success in the massive and complex China market. Leonie is an international author on Chinese Negotiation Strategies. She has lived and worked in the Greater China Region for several years where she learnt Mandarin, and emersed herself in Chinese culture. Leonie uses her unique knowledge of Chinese business negotiation strategies, and Chinese communication styles to assist Western business people to understand the critical cultural underpinnings driving Chinese people’s negotiating and communication behaviour. During the last two decades, she has helped hundreds of business owners and executives understand how to conduct successful business with Chinese business people, and therefore seize opportunities as they present themselves. https://www.leoniemckeon.com/​

Dr Gerry Groot, Senior Lecturer in Chinese Studies Gerry Groot is Senior Lecturer in Chinese Studies in the Department of Asian Studies at the University of Adelaide. Dr Groot teaches Asian culture and history and researches and writes on Chinese politics, particularly the role and nature of united front work as well as on soft power and Asian influences on the world, past and present.

Tie-dye is a long standing handicraft of the Bai ethnic group who mainly inhabited southwest China's Yunnan Province. Bai people used hand-weaved white cloth and colors extracted from plants (e.g. radix isatids, a traditional Chinese herbal medicine) to create pure yet beautiful art works which is still popular today. The technique involves crumpling, pleating or folding the fabric into various patterns, then tying it with string — this is how it got its name. This traditional Chinese handicraft was listed as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2006. Nowadays, tie-dye is a lifestyle activity for people to achieve harmony between themselves and nature.

Our video offers you step-by-step instruction on how to make your own tie-dyed t-shirt at home. Please prepare all the required materials and have fun with our teachers!

Instruction Flyer

Required materials:

• a white cotton t-shirt
• scissors
• fabric dye
• nylon rope
• zip lock bag
• rubber gloves
• a container
• water
• fabric dye (colour: cobalt blue)

Read more

Paper cutting is one of the oldest folk arts in China. The origination of paper cutting is closely linked to Chinese festivals and customs, expressing happiness and wishes for the future. Apart from the common patterns such as flowers, insects, fish and birds, Chinese characters are also very popular. During Chinese weddings you will see red or gold "囍" (double happiness) on the walls and doors, as well as on gifts, indicating auspicious blessings for the newly married couple. People also use beautiful paper-cut artworks to decorate their window, doors, lanterns etc. In 2009, Chinese paper-cutting was listed as an UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.

 Instruction flyer 

Required Materials:

• a pair of scissors
• coloured paper

 Read More

Download Patterns

The patterns are A4 size and ready to cut after printing. You can also open these patterns on your iPad and place a tracing paper on top of the screen to draw your own copy.

Smiling Panda   Jumpy Kangaroo   Double Happiness

Pretty Butterfly   Naughty Rat

In this video you will learn to make Zongzi, a type of Chinese sticky rice dumpling eaten during the Dragon boat Festival. We will also give you a brief history of how this festival came about.

Ingredients:

• Reed leaves: 10 pieces
• Sticky rice: 300 grams
• Red dates: 10
• Cotton thread: 1 metre

This recipe should make 5 rice dumplings

Read More

In this video you will learn to make Dumplings! We will also give a brief background to how and why dumplings are so special in China.

Ingredients: 

• 500g pork or beef mince - you can also substitute for egg/mashed up tofu

• 500g dumpling skins

• 1 bunch of spring onion

Seasonings

• Sichuan Peppercorns

• Cooking wine

• Sesame oil

• Soy sauce

• Shisanxiang (Chinese 13 spice)

• Salt

This recipe should make 50-60 dumplings and serve 3-4 people

Join us from home or your classroom for a digital lantern making workshop by artist Paula Gallagher.

OzAsia Festival’s Moon Lantern Parade has a very important history, founded in the traditions of the Mid-Autumn Festival. Each year, tens of thousands of people to come together in one magnificent day-long celebration that culminates in Australia’s largest lantern parade.

Now you can have fun creating moon lanterns of your own! Design, make and decorate your lantern with the help of an online video and the downloadable resources below!

For families, download the materials here   For teachers, download a special guide and resources here. 

In this video, you will learn to make a simple Chinese-style knotted bracelet! We will also give a brief history of what knotting was used for in ancient times, and how people use it today.

Materials：

• 2 different coloured strings (one shorter piece, one longer piece)
• a pair of scissors
• tape
• round beads
• a lighter