The Confucius Institute at Bangor University recently welcomed students, staff and members of the local community to another session in our Discover Chinese Culture – Free Lunchtime Workshops series. These relaxed lunchtime gatherings offer a chance to step away from the busy day and explore the beauty of traditional Chinese arts and crafts in a friendly and creative setting.

This week’s workshop introduced participants to Chinese rubbing art, a fascinating traditional technique that has been used for centuries to preserve carved inscriptions, historical texts and decorative patterns found on stone tablets, monuments and other engraved surfaces.

During the session, participants first learned about the historical importance of rubbing art in China and how scholars and artists used this technique to copy and safeguard important cultural records. Our tutors then demonstrated how designs can be transferred from carved surfaces onto paper using simple tools.

With guidance from the Confucius Institute team, everyone had the opportunity to create their own rubbing artwork, carefully revealing patterns and textures as the images appeared on the paper. It was a calming and engaging activity that allowed participants to experience an ancient artistic practice firsthand.

By the end of the workshop, each participant left with their own finished rubbing artwork to take home – a small but meaningful reminder of this beautiful cultural tradition.

Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make the session such an enjoyable and creative lunchtime experience. We look forward to welcoming you to the next Discover Chinese Culture workshop soon.