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Chinese culture workshops in Amsterdam

A Chinese culture workshop brings a team, a library audience or an event together around something hands-on: writing 福 with a brush for Chinese New Year, cutting a paper flower, discovering the logic of characters. Workshops are designed and led by Zoey, who organised a series of cultural salons and teacher-training sessions at the Groningen Confucius Institute.

By , Chinese teacher since 2011

Language opens a door; culture is what you find behind it. A good workshop lets people experience that in an afternoon: the concentration of writing one character with a brush, the laughter when a paper cut unfolds into a flower, the moment someone recognises the “person” 人 inside a character they had never seen before. That is what KeSong’s culture workshops are for: memorable, hands-on and accurate, led by a teacher of Chinese language and literature.

Workshop menu

Chinese New Year workshop

The most popular theme, from January to mid-February. Participants learn how Chinese New Year is celebrated, why 福 is hung upside down, what goes into a red envelope and how to wish someone a happy new year: 新年快乐！Xīnnián kuàilè! They then write 福 or a short couplet with a brush and take it home. For 2027, the Year of the Goat begins on 6 February; read more about the festival in Chinese New Year 2027.

Chinese calligraphy workshop

An introduction to the brush: posture, ink, the eight basic strokes and stroke order, then a few characters with strong meanings, such as 和hé (harmony), 福fú (good fortune) and 爱ài (love). Participants who want to can write their own name in Chinese. A good choice for teams, cultural festivals and anyone who has ever wondered how those flowing characters are made. Looking for a Chinese calligraphy class in Amsterdam for a group of friends or colleagues? The same workshop works as a private session.

Chinese calligraphy workshop: a participant writing a character with a brush on red paper
Brush, ink and red paper: a first calligraphy character.

Paper-cutting workshop

Paper cutting (剪纸 jiǎnzhǐ) is a folk art used to decorate windows and doors at festivals. With red paper, scissors and a few folds, participants create symmetrical designs: flowers, the character 囍 (double happiness) or the animal of the year. It is calm, visual and works for any group.

Chinese characters for beginners

A one-off session on how Chinese writing works: pictographs, radicals, why 休 (rest) is a person leaning against a tree. Participants learn to recognise and write a handful of characters and leave understanding the logic of the script. Ideal for libraries, schools for adults and curious teams. Background reading: Chinese characters explained.

Custom themes

For partners with a specific occasion, a workshop can be designed around a theme, for example Chinese business etiquette before a trip (see Chinese business etiquette) or an introduction to Chinese culture for a team starting to work with Chinese colleagues.

For companies, libraries, cultural organisations and events

  • Companies: team activities, Chinese New Year celebrations, preparation for business with China. Workshops can be combined with business Chinese training.
  • Libraries and cultural centres: public workshops around Chinese New Year or as part of a culture programme.
  • Schools for adults and universities: introductions to Chinese language and culture for adult learners.
  • Festivals and events: hands-on stands and short sessions that work with a changing audience.
  • Museums: workshops that complement an exhibition with Chinese objects.
Chinese calligraphy workshop for companies: a team holding the characters they wrote on red paper
The result of a calligraphy workshop for a team.

Workshops take place in Amsterdam and elsewhere in the Netherlands by arrangement, and some themes, such as characters for beginners, also work online for hybrid teams.

Experience behind the workshops

At the Groningen Confucius Institute, where she worked from 2016 to 2025, Zoey was not only a language teacher and curriculum developer but also an event manager. Her track record there includes:

  • 12 cultural salon events, with more than 200 participants in total;
  • 16 teacher-training sessions, with more than 500 attendees;
  • Chinese-culture activities going back to her years as a university teacher at Shenyang Ligong University (2011–2015), where she taught Chinese literature and ancient Chinese history.

That background shows in the workshops: the stories behind characters and customs are accurate, and every activity is designed so that people without any Chinese can take part fully.

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How booking works

  1. Send an enquiry with the type of group, the expected number of participants, the date(s) you have in mind and the theme that interests you.
  2. Short conversation to shape the workshop: length, location, language of the audience, materials.
  3. Quote and confirmation. Fees depend on theme, length, group size and materials.
  4. Workshop day. Zoey brings the materials; you provide a room with tables (and a screen for the introduction, if available).

Send an enquiry for a culture workshop.

Learn more about Chinese culture

Workshops are often the start of a longer interest. These guides go further: Chinese New Year 2027, Chinese culture for learners and the Chinese zodiac calculator. For calligraphy at home, a Chinese calligraphy practice book with 田字格 grids and a good Chinese calligraphy dictionary app, such as the stroke-order animations in Pleco, are useful next steps.

Frequently asked questions

What happens in a Chinese calligraphy workshop?

You learn how to hold the brush, the basic strokes and the right order, then write a few meaningful characters such as 福 (good fortune), 和 (harmony) or your own name in Chinese, on rice paper. Along the way you hear the story behind each character. No experience or knowledge of Chinese is needed.

Do participants need to speak Chinese?

No. The workshops are designed for people without any Chinese. Everything is explained step by step, and participants go home with something they made themselves and a few words of Chinese.

Can a workshop be organised for our company or organisation?

Yes. Workshops can be held at your office, library, school for adults, museum or event venue, or online for hybrid teams. The theme, length and group size are agreed in advance; a Chinese New Year workshop is a popular team activity in January and February.

How much does a culture workshop cost?

The fee depends on the theme, the length, the number of participants and the materials (brushes, ink, rice paper, red paper). You receive a quote after a short conversation about your plans. Send an enquiry with your preferred date and group size.

When should we book a Chinese New Year workshop?

As early as possible. Chinese New Year 2027 falls on 6 February, and the weeks around it are the most requested period for workshops in companies and libraries. Booking in November or December gives you the widest choice of dates.

Learn with Zoey

One-to-one or in a small group, online or in Amsterdam by arrangement. Tell Zoey what you want to achieve and she will suggest a plan.

Send an enquiry See prices
Zoey Zang, Chinese teacher in Amsterdam

About the author

Zoey (Ziqiao Zang, 臧子乔) has taught Chinese as a foreign language since 2011 and in the Netherlands since 2016. She holds a Master of Teaching Chinese to Speakers of Other Languages from Zhejiang Normal University and set up and ran an official HSK online exam centre with more than 250 candidates.

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