Laughter, music, and fast-spoken Mandarin filled the air as students, interns, and teachers of the international community at Beijing Normal-Hong Kong Baptist University (BNBU) took the stage for the Chinese Talent Show on 17 December 2025. At the event, language came to life as each participant became a storyteller and an active cultural participant, sharing their unique voice through performances and diverse cultural activities.
“We like to think of this as a family-style gathering,” hosts Candy Cai and Juan Rengifo addressed the audience, “a place where we learn Chinese together, support each other, and even discover new sides of ourselves.”
Candy Cai (left) and Juan Rengifo (right)
Participants from different backgrounds brought their own energy to the stage, performing songs, skits, dances and more to reconstruct the multiple scenarios for using Chinese in everyday communication.
Skit by Alexander James (left), Calista Lu (middle) and José Montes (right)
HSK 1 Class singing
Advanced Chinese I students when dubbing
Elementary Chinese II students dancing
Intermediate Chinese I students reading poetry
Play characters, “Eugene” and “Rapunzel”
One of the most memorable moments came from Maya Klein from Canada and her classmates, Alan and Howen. They surprised the audience with fast-paced Chinese dubbing of the movie Shrek. Klein said that the event was not only about showcasing language achievements, but also about promoting Chinese culture and sharing it with others.
Games are set for the audience to participate, including charades, pitch-pot (投壶), and lucky draw, to introduce cultural history through hands-on participation.
Students participating in pitch-pot
Winners of pitch-pot
Lucky draw 1st prize recipient with Dr Jenny Cui (left)
Lucky draw 2nd prize recipients
Lucky draw 3rd prize recipients
International students watching performance
Rebecca from Indonesia described the atmosphere as “funny and lively”. She shared her appreciation for Chinese culture and said the experience motivated her to continue improving her Chinese, with the goal of speaking it fluently in the future.
Clarence from Indonesia said the talent show helped her learn about China in ways that textbooks could not. She added that her interest in Chinese was inspired by her father, who once studied in China.
Group photo
As an annual semester gathering, the talent show has become a cherished tradition among international groups studying or working at BNBU. More than a performance, it is a reminder that learning a language is also about friendship, confidence, and finding a home away from home.
From SGE and MPRO
Reporter: Avril Wu
Photographer: Dong Qiyue
Editor: Cecilia Yu
