More than 20 international students from Russia, Kazakhstan, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and Burma welcome the Lunar New Year by making dumplings at Zhejiang Ocean University. [Photo/zhoushan.cn]

More than 20 international students in Zhoushan, East China's Zhejiang province, spent the Chinese New Year experiencing the different folk customs in the city, local media reported on Feb 13.

On the afternoon of Chinese New Year's eve, the students, who hail from Russia, Kazakhstan, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and Burma, welcomed the Lunar New Year by making dumplings at Zhejiang Ocean University (ZJOU).

Sprinkling flour, taking the fillings, and pinching the wrapper: An international student from Kazakhstan expertly made dumplings in the shape of an ingot.

"Back in my hometown, we would get together each weekend to make dumplings," said Jin Long, a Kazakh who has studied in Zhoushan for two years.

"Zhoushan is clean and has good air and a beautiful environment," Jin added. "It's very comfortable to live in the city."

During the Chinese New Year holiday, international students at ZJOU learnt how to write "福", which means "blessings" in English, experienced a tea ceremony at Putuo Mountain, admired Zhoushan's intangible cultural heritage items in Dinghai district, and made paper cuttings in Shengsi county.

Liang Xiaofei, a Russian student at ZJOU, also extended his New Year greetings to his relatives and friends at home via online video.

"My impression of Chinese New Year is jubilant and warm," said Liang, adding that he hopes the pandemic will end soon so that he can show his relatives around China.