On October 20, 2025, the International Affairs Office successfully hosted a seal carving cultural experience event titled "Art within a Tiny Space" for international faculty members. The activity attracted enthusiastic participation from our international teachers hailing from the United Kingdom, United States, France, Germany, Japan, and Cuba. Through knowledge-based lectures and professional guidance, all participants engaged in hands-on practice, immersing themselves in the unique charm of traditional Chinese seal art.
At the beginning of the event, Wu Danna from the International Affairs Office briefly introduced the distinctive features of the BCU's calligraphy program and provided an accessible explanation of the historical origins of seal cutting art. She also introduced the traditional tools and techniques used in seal carving. As a traditional art form with a history of over 3,000 years, seal carving integrates the beauty of calligraphy, the intricacy of composition, and the precision of engraving. It is celebrated as the "art within a tiny space," embodying the profound heritage of Chinese culture and the spirit of literati.
During the hands-on session, Yuan Yutian and Fu Jiayi, students from the Calligraphy program and members of the Chaobai Seal Society, were invited to provide on-site guidance. They were assisted by staffs from the International Affairs Office, who offered detailed instructions to the foreign teachers. Step by step, the participants completed their first traditional personal seals—from polishing and securing the stone, to designing the seal script and transferring it in reverse, to mastering the techniques of intaglio ("yin" character) and relief ("yang" character) carving during the engraving process. The entire activity tested their patience while also being filled with the joy of creation. Many foreign teachers expressed that it was their first time trying seal cutting by hand, and while challenging, they found it exceptionally fascinating.
Sofia, our Spanish teacher from Cuba, not only successfully completed a seal engraved with her name under the patient guidance of the students but also enthusiastically created a second piece of seal carving, feeling a great sense of accomplishment.
Steve, our English teacher from the UK, excitedly shared, "This kind of hands-on opportunity is truly rare! Through firsthand experience, I genuinely felt the artistic beauty of seal carving. At the same time, I gained a deeper understanding of BCU's unique calligraphy program, and my sense of belonging to the university has become more tangible."
Kaneki, our Japanese teacher from Japan, took on the challenge of mastering the more difficult relief carving technique. The final result was an exquisitely crafted seal with clean lines and an elegant layout, earning widespread admiration from everyone present.
The event also featured an exhibition of outstanding seal carving and calligraphy works by members of the Chaobai Seal Club and students from the Calligraphy program, creating a rich atmosphere of traditional artistry. After completing their creations, the foreign teachers eagerly stamped their seals on a display board as a memento and took group photos to immortalize this unforgettable cultural experience. This seal carving workshop was not just a lesson in technique but also a dialogue across cultures. It effectively fostered mutual exchange and learning between Chinese and international faculty and BCU students, while vividly showcasing the practical achievements of our university’s distinctive talent development model.
The event concluded successfully in a relaxed and joyful atmosphere. The foreign teachers expressed their anticipation for more similar traditional cultural experiences in the future, hoping to continue fostering multicultural integration, mutual enrichment, and shared vibrancy at BCU.
