The Chinese Culture Experience Center is located on the Yanta Campus. Covering an area of approximately 1,000 square metres, it is architecturally designed as a traditional Chinese courtyard, or siheyuan. Within the four wings of the courtyard are 14 specially designed spaces, which include:

•  Chinese Tea Culture Experience Room (Reception Room)

•  Calligraphy and Painting Room

•  Traditional Chinese Music Room

•  Chinese Culinary Culture Room

•  Multi-Function Meeting Room

•  Reading and Learning Resource Room

•  Multi-Function Classroom

•  Office

•  Entrance Hall (Exhibition Room)

By integrating a wide array of XISU's outstanding traditional cultural resources, the Centre allows various cultural experience activities to take place simultaneously under one roof, thus effectively conserving space, time, and resources.

Chinese Calligraphy.Calligraphy has a long and esteemed history. Primarily executed with a brush, it is the art of writing Chinese characters. Originating from pictorial records, the characters evolved over millennia into the written form used today. With its rich diversity of styles, calligraphy continues to radiate a unique artistic charm through the ages.

Ink Wash Painting. This distinctive form of traditional Chinese painting is created with the traditional Chinese brush. The artist blends water and ink to create tonal variations and applies the mixture onto absorbent raw xuan paper. The result is a work of profound evocative beauty.

hinese Tea Ceremony. Five thousand years of Chinese culture, and five thousand years of tea. Tea art is an art of living that emphasizes both the skill of brewing and the art of appreciation. Brewing reveals the color, aroma, and flavor of the tea, while “tasting” is the mindful appreciation of these results.

Traditional Chinese Music

Guqin. This is a traditional Chinese plucked string instrument with a history of over 3,000 years. Known for its wide range and deep, resonant timbre, it was proclaimed a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.

Shadow Puppetry.  A form of folk theater, it uses silhouette figures made of animal hide or cardboard to enact stories. With a history of over 2,500 years, this ancient traditional art has been inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. During a performance, artists manipulate the puppets behind a white screen while narrating stories using well-known local melodies.

Puppet Theater.    A form of drama enacted using puppets, this art has a history of over 3,000 years and is recognized as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage of China. Behind a screen, puppeteers manipulate the figures while singing, speaking, and acting to a musical accompaniment.

Sugar Figure Blowing. A traditional Chinese folk handicraft, this art begins with a lump of melted malt sugar. Through kneading and pinching, the artisan gently blows it into a hollow, inflated shape. With a few final touches, it is transformed into various animal forms. Students can join in at every step. Through this hands-on process, a sugar figure comes to life — visually delightful, entertaining, and edible.

Sugar Painting.  A traditional Chinese folk handicraft where the medium is sugar itself, creating an artwork that is both decorative and edible, and widely loved. The painter works without any draft; the entire composition is in the mind. Drizzling melted sugar syrup from a ladle, the painter completes the image in one smooth, fluid motion. The result is crystal-clear, beautifully formed, and delicious.

Jiaozi (Chinese Dumpling) Making. Jiaozi is a time-honored traditional food. Eating them is a distinctive folk custom during the Chinese New Year. As an indispensable dish on every table during the Spring Festival, it symbolizes the hope for a good life. Here in the ancient capital of Xi'an, Jiaozi also serves as a unique and heartfelt greeting for guests from afar.

Tai Chi.  A National Intangible Cultural Heritage, it is a traditional Chinese martial art rooted in the core philosophical concepts of taiji (the “Supreme Ultimate”) and yin-yang dialectics from traditional Confucian and Daoist thought. Cultivating both body and mind with a blend of strength and gentleness, this exercise is imbued with the Eastern spirit of inclusiveness. It is highly attuned to human physiological and psychological needs, thereby benefiting both physical and mental well-being.

Peking Opera Mask Painting.  Peking opera is a quintessence of Chinese culture. The art of its facial makeup is one of the most iconic symbols of Chinese tradition. In our workshop, you can not only appreciate the beauty of Peking opera facial makeup but also try your hand at painting your own — a hands-on way to experience the unique charm of Chinese culture.

Hanfu.  Hanfu, also known as Han Yiguan, is the traditional clothing of the Han Chinese people. Passed down for thousands of years, it embodies the origins of Chinese etiquette and ceremonial culture. Hanfu has a well-established system and a long history. Elegant and graceful in style, it reflects the charm and cultural depth of traditional Chinese aesthetics. Therefore, since ancient times, China has been respectfully known as “the Kingdom of Elegant Dress” and “a Land of Ceremony and Decorum”.

Paper Cutting. Paper cutting is a Chinese folk art with a long history. It remains an important part of everyday life in China today. It is not only a decoration for traditional festivals, but also an expression of Chinese people's wishes for a better life. With only a piece of paper and a pair of scissors, beautiful patterns can be created.

Chinese Knot. The Chinese knot is a unique Chinese handicraft made through decorative knotting techniques. It originated from the ancient practice of “tying knots to keep records”, offering a glimpse into ancient Chinese civilization. A Chinese knot is woven from a single silk cord and decorated with ornaments featuring auspicious patterns. It forms a traditional decorative object with distinctive shapes and profound symbolic meanings that convey blessings and good fortune.

Paper Carving. Paper carving is a form of paper cutting and one of China's traditional handicrafts. It is also a part of China's national intangible cultural heritage. By skillfully using carving knives and mastering paper-carving techniques, artists create vivid and lively images from paper.

Clay Sculpture. Clay sculpture, also known as painted sculpture, is an ancient and common Chinese folk art form that uses clay as raw material, shaped by hand into figures. They can be plain or multi-colored and mainly take the shape of human figures and animals. Clay sculpture originated in Shaanxi Province and is recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage of China.