Ms. Saba Malik Attends Chinese Paper Cutting Workshop, Shares Cultural Insights with China Economic Net
Ms. Saba Malik, Founder and CEO of IJSmart Publishing Company, recently attended a traditional Nanjing paper cutting workshop as part of a Spring Festival cultural integration event held in the historic Xuanwu District of Nanjing. The event brought together international students from Pakistan, Indonesia, Bangladesh, and Ghana to experience Chinese intangible cultural heritage.
The workshop, guided by a municipal-level paper cutting inheritor, introduced participants to the history, symbolism, and techniques of this ancient Chinese art form. Students learned to create traditional designs such as window flowers, pandas, and auspicious patterns symbolizing good fortune, especially meaningful during the Chinese Year of the Horse.
Speaking during her interview with China Economic Net, Ms. Malik highlighted the strong cultural connection she felt during the workshop. As a Pakistani PhD candidate in environmental science and engineering at Nanjing University, she noted similarities between Chinese paper cutting and traditional handcraft practices in Pakistan, particularly those practiced by women using needlework and fabric. She shared that she recorded the techniques to introduce them to communities back home as a source of creative inspiration.
Ms. Malik also reflected on the environmental significance of Xuanwu Lake, emphasizing how the integration of natural landscapes into urban planning aligns with her academic background in environmental sciences. She described the lake as not only a scenic landmark but a vital part of the city’s ecological and cultural identity.
The cultural program concluded with an educational lecture on the origins of animal life and the Cambrian explosion, offering participants a scientific perspective that complemented the day’s focus on heritage, creativity, and intercultural exchange.
Ms. Malik’s participation and interview underscored the growing role of international scholars in fostering cultural understanding and knowledge exchange between China and the global community.
Paper Cutting Workshop Moments
