VALLETTA, July 4 -- Maltese people of all ages immersed themselves in traditional Chinese culture at an event on Thursday at the Chinese Garden of Serenity in Santa Lucija.

Participants experienced Chinese calligraphy, tasted Chinese tea, and learned about the famous Terracotta Warriors. They also enjoyed performances of the pipa, a pear-shaped stringed instrument from China, at the event organized by Malta's Southern Regional Council.

During the calligraphy session, attendees copied the four Chinese characters for "Hello China."

Sun Hui, a calligraphy teacher at the China Cultural Center in Malta, and Stephen Cachia, a lecturer in Chinese history at the University of Malta, demonstrated how to hold and move the brush. They also taught participants the correct pronunciation of "Hello China" in Chinese.

Liam Pulis, eight, said it was the second time he had tried Chinese calligraphy, and expressed his love for the art. He said he was determined to learn the Chinese language in the future.

There was also significant interest in the tea art performance at the event. Vincent Vella, 71, was particularly impressed by the "mellow" tea fragrance. He told Xinhua that it was the first time he had seen a Chinese tea art ceremony, and expressed his desire to visit China.

Participants also learned about the history of the Terracotta Warriors. The Chinese Garden of Serenity features life-sized replicas of the warriors, donated by the Xi'an Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism in July last year.

Cachia vividly described the Terracotta Warriors. In 2009, he visited Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum, which houses the world-renowned iconic Terracotta Warriors in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province and also one of the ancient capitals in Chinese history.

In 2007, a highly successful Terracotta Warriors exhibition was held in Valletta. Jane Pulis, 68, recalled her visit to the exhibition, and the lifelike statues. Chinese history and culture are brilliant and colorful, she told Xinhua.

Pipa music was performed at Thursday's event by young Chinese artist Guo Mei, inspiring children to dance along. Experiencing Chinese culture for the first time, Stephanie Cassar and her children were deeply impressed. She told Xinhua that she looked forward to attending more Chinese cultural activities with her children in future.

Cachia noted that there is a strong interest in Chinese culture in Malta, including among children.

  - Xinhua