I really love spring.
Spring is my favorite season because my birthday falls on April 27th.
In the spring, my family and I go to see the cherry blossoms. I see flowers and birds; I hear the birds singing, and I also see other animals! I see rabbits, little bears, foxes, and many others.
I think spring is the very best season.
I love my mama.
She helps me learn new words, Guzheng, piano, and many new things. Every time I go to school, I’ll miss Mama. When I return, I must hug Mama. I help Mama make breakfast, do laundry, and many other things. My mama is very clever, cute, beautiful, and lovely. I’d want to hug nd kiss Mama, and Mama will want to hug and kiss me, too. Mama always lets me pick between eating school food and home-cooked food. She also helps me do homework. Mama would buy me boba tea and many tasty foods, and braid my hair into very pretty, very pretty braids.
This is my good Mama.
Dear Mom,
Thank you for always loving me, even though I’m not really patient with you, or I don’t really like the things you tell me to do. Yet I love you. No matter how much I grow, I’ll forever love you. My love for you is as far from here to the moon; from the present to eternity, I’ll always love you very, very much. I can’t express just how much I love you, and I’ll never stop loving you…
Happy Mother’s Day! I love you!
Arina Du （6 years old）
In 2026, Qingming Festival and Easter happen to fall on the exact same day. Both of these holidays hold great significance within Chinese culture and Christian tradition.
Easter is a religious holiday celebrating the resurrection of Jesus. It is a public holiday in almost all Christian countries. Many American families, including non-religious ones, celebrate this holiday. Easter traditions include attending church services, hunting for Easter eggs, and taking photos with the Easter Bunny.
Qingming Festival, also known as Tomb-Sweeping Day, is a traditional holiday for Chinese people to honor their ancestors and sweep their tombs. It typically falls between April 4th and April 6th each year and is recognized as one of China's four major traditional festivals, alongside the Spring Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, and Dragon Boat Festival. Qingming Festival involves many customs: going on spring outings, sweeping tombs and honoring ancestors, flying kites, and more. Furthermore, different regions often have their own unique local customs. Aside from China, some other countries also observe Qingming Festival, such as South Korea, Malaysia, and Vietnam.
Although Qingming Festival and Easter stem from different cultural backgrounds, they are both connected to the theme of "life." Qingming Festival allows people to reflect on the past and remember their loved ones, while Easter symbolizes new beginnings and hope. When these two holidays coincide on the same day, it serves as a reminder for us to find a balance between remembrance and moving forward, and to cherish our present lives even more.
Looking back on the just-concluded Third “Zai Dao” Cultural Essay Competition, it was truly an unforgettable experience! More than a hundred people gathered together, with over fifty contestants advancing to the finals. Seeing students, teachers, and judges of so many different ages all working together for the inheritance and continuation of Chinese culture was deeply moving.
As one of the finalists, I was profoundly touched by this year’s theme. It led me to think seriously about how to introduce and convey the charm of Chinese culture to my friends, and it also prompted me to reflect anew on my own coming-of-age as a Chinese American, seeking balance between two cultures and building a sense of self.
Looking around the venue, every contestant was writing their own story. In that moment, I felt an indescribable surge of pride and emotion. Through their writing, each person was interpreting in their unique way what it means to be Chinese, and I could feel the depth and uniqueness of our culture.
In addition to competing, I also served as a volunteer for the “Chinese Culture Knowledge Quiz” segment. I was delighted by how much the children knew about Chinese culture. In answering their questions, I felt both their understanding of the breadth and depth of Chinese civilization and their pure, heartfelt eagerness to learn more.
The award ceremony brought the event to its climax. Distinguished guests filled the room, including many representatives from well-known Chinese organizations, and every face was radiant with joy. The guests’ wonderful speeches, the sense of cultural inheritance moving from hope into reality, and the continuous waves of applause all created an unforgettable atmosphere. Seeing everyone so fulfilled made it feel that all the effort everyone had put in had been repaid in the best possible way.
In the end, this was not merely a competition, but a grand celebration of Chinese culture spanning many states across America. It is the vast, profound, and enduring Chinese civilization that binds us closely together. I feel deeply honored to have been part of it, and I look forward even more to continuing this cultural bond next year.
I have a little world of my own, and it makes me very comfortable. That little world is my bedroom. Although my home has many rooms, only my little world is truly my own cozy nest.
In my room, I like my nightstand and my drawer the most. The nightstand is actually part of a desk. On the desk are my computer, pens, and notebooks. On the nightstand, I keep several books that I love. In the end, those books have formed a little wall, which makes it feel even cozier when I climb into bed to rest. Inside the wall made of books, there is a desk lamp that helps me see more clearly when I read. Beside the wall, there is also a box of tissues, which helps me wipe my nose when I am sick.
I also like my drawer, which has a lock. I like this drawer because I use it to hold my treasures, such as gemstones, my diary, and money. Sometimes, I also keep things that my friends have given me there for safekeeping. Even some of my finished homework is inside, because my teacher gave me a perfect score of one hundred! Finally, that drawer can only be opened with a key, and only I know where the key is hidden, haha! So don’t even think about secretly opening it and rummaging through my things!
This is my little world. I have lived in it since I was little, and I have always felt very comfortable there.
At the invitation of the Washington Lantern Festival temple fair, the Zai Dao website organized a “Lantern Riddles and New Year Cultural Interactive Games Booth” at the event. Lantern riddles are one of the most representative traditional customs of the Yuanxiao Festival and also one of the most beloved cultural games among the public. For this event, the Zai Dao students carefully designed and decorated a lantern-riddle booth themed around festive lanterns, creating a style that was both celebratory and elegant.
The riddles centered on the Year of the Horse zodiac, Chinese idioms, and traditional Chinese festival culture. The students also creatively used picture-based clues, emojis, and other playful forms of presentation, making the riddles vivid and engaging while still full of cultural meaning. The wide variety of riddles attracted many visitors to join in, allowing people to experience the charm of Chinese culture and feel the joyful holiday atmosphere through the fun of solving them.
At the interactive booth, the Zai Dao students brought to the fair one of the most traditional Yuanxiao Festival customs—prize-winning lantern riddle guessing—and also organized lively cultural quiz activities. Through cultural trivia, interactive games, and similar formats, participants of different ages and cultural backgrounds were all able to easily learn about Chinese New Year customs and cultural stories. The booth also prepared exquisite small prizes to encourage even more audience participation, and the atmosphere on site was warm, energetic, and friendly.
Whether they were children, parents, or guests from many different sectors of society, everyone joined in with eagerness and interacted warmly with the students. Distinguished guests such as Maryland State Senator April Delaney, Minister Tang Zhiwen of the Chinese Embassy in the United States, Maryland Secretary of State Susan Lee, and Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich also visited the booth and experienced this activity, immersed in traditional culture, alongside the students.
In addition to the cultural interactive booth, the Zai Dao students also brought specialty drinks such as mango pomelo sago and bingfen, holding a fundraising sale. The sale was no easy task: the students not only actively promoted the drinks, but even took the initiative to deliver them directly to customers with enthusiasm. To attract buyers, they even came up with the idea of going around from place to place to “drum up business,” staying busy in the happiest way possible, with youthful energy visible everywhere at the fair.
Although their busy work meant they missed the stage performances at the temple fair, at the end of the event, Teacher Hu Hong specially brought the students an “exclusive magic show.” Amid waves of laughter and exclamations of amazement, the Zai Dao students’ Lantern Festival activities came to a joyful and successful close.
In the process of contributing to cultural activities at the Lantern Festival fair, the Zai Dao students not only gained happiness but also deepened their understanding and memory of traditional Chinese culture through firsthand participation.
The Zai Dao website was independently founded in 2021 by Chinese American youth in the United States and has now operated for five years. As a bilingual Chinese-English cultural platform, Zai Dao has always been committed to encouraging Chinese American teenagers to write in Chinese and to promoting the preservation and spread of Chinese culture. In recent years, Zai Dao has not only organized its “Spring Festival Visits to Chinese American Elders” campaign for five consecutive years, but has also launched and hosted the “Washington Chinese Cultural Festival Youth Essay Competition” for three straight years, earning broad recognition and positive responses from all sectors of the community. Upholding the mission of “using writing to carry the Way (Dao), using writing to bring friends together, using the written word to pass on culture, and using words to connect the world,” the Zai Dao website is working to build a bridge connecting youth and culture, and connecting the community with the wider world.
Do you like spring? My favorite season is spring.
Because I can listen to the birds sing in the morning. When it rains, Grandpa Thunder’s thunderous rumble.
I see the rainbow of flowers and the verdant green of grass and trees.
I can smell the sweet red flowers and green grass, as well as the fragrance of the soil.
I touch the spring wind, and I feel as if a bear cub caresses me.
This is the flavor of spring.
On November 2, 2025, the Finals of the 3rd Washington Chinese Cultural Festival Youth Essay Contest took place at CCACC Boya Academy. Nearly 60 finalists from the Greater Washington area gathered for this challenging and meaningful onsite writing competition. As the first in-person finals in the contest’s history, the event drew a large crowd of students, parents, and teachers. The venue was packed, the atmosphere was electric, and the event marked a rare large-scale live essay competition in the region, becoming one of the most influential cultural writing events for Chinese American youth in recent years.
At 2:00 PM that afternoon, the Award Ceremony began with great fanfare. The winners were announced on the spot, with guests from various communities presenting trophies to the recipients.
The Washington Chinese Cultural Festival has been held for 23 consecutive years, and is one of the most influential Chinese cultural events in the D.C. metropolitan area. Since 2023, Zaidao (thez.us) has organized the Youth Essay Contest for three consecutive years, aiming to build a bridge of cultural exchange through writing and to provide a platform for young Chinese Americans to showcase their talents and express cultural identity.
As a core event of the Cultural Festival, the contest has continued to grow. Just as Zaidao’s mission states:
“Let writing carry values, let words create friendships; use pen and ink to pass on culture, use language to connect the world.”
This bridge of words is connecting today’s youth with their shared roots and dreams.
The 2025 theme was “The Bridge of Culture Connects You and Me.” A total of 150 students participated—from Maryland, Virginia, Washington D.C., Arizona, Massachusetts, Illinois, California, and even Vietnam. After the preliminary selection, 100 contestants advanced to the finals. Due to logistical limitations, out-of-state contestants could not attend the in-person competition. As a pilot year for the offline format, there was no simultaneous online contest. On November 2, contestants from the D.C. area competed in Chinese and English divisions across elementary, middle, and high school groups.
At 9:30 AM, the competition officially began.
Chief judge of the Chinese division, writer Chen Jiange, announced the rules and revealed the onsite topic:
“When I introduce China to my friends…”
The hall quickly settled into focused silence. The sounds of typing and pen scratching blended together, and ideas flowed into words. Most students typed on computers or iPads, but handwritten work was also encouraged—one elementary student even filled three pages by hand.
An hour later, essays were submitted and the panel of eight judges began their evaluation. After careful reading, scoring, and deliberation, Zaidao staff tabulated the results. Judges remarked that the students demonstrated exceptional writing skills. Whether in Chinese or English, the works reflected strong command of language and sincere cultural perspective.
The judging panel included respected experts and scholars from across the region.
Chinese Panel Chair: historian and writer Chen Jiange
English Panel Chair: Professor John Noran, senior expert in English writing
Both have served as judges for all three years.
Chinese judges included:
Lü Dayu – pioneering CCTV broadcaster, journalist, writer
Prof. Li Jie – scholar of journalism and communication
Wei Wei – executive principal of New Oriental Family Education, AP Chinese expert
Tang Ting – CEO of Yuan Media, journalist
Yu Weili – senior editor at CCTV
English judges also included Prof. Fu Ping of Towson University, specializing in film and comparative literature.
At 2:00 PM, the ceremony opened to thunderous applause. The hall was packed—many parents and students stood in the aisles to listen. Under warm lighting, golden trophies shone on the stage.
Zaidao’s three young emcees—Emily Jia, Doris Wang, and Hannah Liu—took the stage with confidence and grace. They introduced the mission of Zaidao:
“We are a group of young people who love Chinese and love writing.
Five years ago, we founded Zaidao to provide a platform for youth to express themselves and improve Chinese writing. We hope to build a bridge connecting the world—especially peers between China and the United States—through words.”
The hosts reviewed Zaidao’s growth—from an online platform to a thriving youth writing community of over 400 young authors and 800 published works. From the first online contest to the third in-person finals, Zaidao continues to innovate and expand its impact.
Speeches from community leaders, educators, and government officials brought warmth and excitement. Representatives from Maryland state government, local education systems, and Chinese American organizations offered congratulations and praised the contest’s significance in cultural heritage and youth development.
Counselor Dong Chuanjie from the Chinese Embassy in the U.S. stated:
“The theme ‘A Bridge of Culture Connects You and Me’ carries deep meaning.
We hope to plant the seeds of Chinese culture in the hearts of young people, letting them grow in love and become future cultural ambassadors.
We believe more community leaders and parents will help support this mission.”
Dozens of leaders and representatives from cultural, educational, and civic institutions also spoke, acknowledging the contest’s excellence and the students’ outstanding achievements. Maryland council member and Rockville mayor sent congratulatory video messages.
The Cultural Festival Executive Chair Li Chuanming presented official certificates on behalf of Maryland State Delegate Dr. Wu Chao. Montgomery County representatives awarded certificates to Zaidao as well.
The ceremony continued with awards.
Recognizing outstanding teachers who supported the contest.
Gold Award:
Hope Chinese School: Cheng Jinglin
Hope Chinese School: He Zhufang
American Chinese School: Xie Yining
American Chinese School: Tian Wen
Hope Chinese School: Li Bai
Arizona Chinese School: Zhao Xingyang
Silver Award:
Hope Chinese School, Chantilly Campus: Zhang Jing, Ma Weiming, Li Xiaolan, Lu Yingping， Sun Ying
American Chinese School, Northern Virginia campus: Zhang Hanhui, Huang Yaqi, Zhang Ying, Li Wenping
Hope Chinese School, Potomac campus: Du Juan, Wendy Guo, Jingfan Liu
Howard Chinese School: Li Nan
Baltimore Chinese School: Wei Yan
Arizona Modern Chinese School: Deng Chunxia
Additionally, two teachers received the Organization Award for exceptional coordination.
Professor John Noran, English panel chair, announced the winners:
Elementary First Prize: Claire Zhou
Middle School First Prize: Isabella Rose Olvesen
High School First Prize: Ella Zhuang
All three were interviewed onstage, sharing their writing inspirations.
High School: Cindy Cai, Rani Wei
Middle School: Joshua Liu, Raymond Deng, George Xu
Elementary School: Leonard Zhou, David Wang
Judges praised the depth and creativity of these works—from vivid descriptions of Beijing roast duck, to reflections on TikTok and cultural discovery, to imaginative writing about Sun Wukong and Chinese architecture, history, and cuisine.
Embassy officials and distinguished guests presented trophies, certificates, and generous prizes sponsored by the Chinese Embassy.
The ceremony ended with group photos, applause, and celebration.
The organizers thanked supporting sponsors, including cultural associations, corporations, financial services, law firms, and real-estate investment groups. Donated prizes ranged from Tang poetry desk mats to $500 music courses.
Students from Zaidao also set up:
A showcase of past winning essays
A charity book and tea sale
A cultural trivia game with small prizes
Many students expressed interest in joining Zaidao to continue sharing culture through writing.
Website: http://thez.us
Young writers who love Chinese language and writing are welcome to join.
Chinese Category - High School (26)
First Prize：Cindy Cai 蔡欣妍， Rani Wei 魏子然
Second Prize：Jessica Fu 付天巧， Cameron Wang 王升冉， Jasper Song 宋玉
Third Prize：Nathan Tian 田旻楷， Grace Yeung 杨善谊，Kaylie Liu 刘凯煜，Kate Li 李乐仪，Eric Xia 夏之瑜，Madison Chan 陈姵瑜，Jonathan Jiang 江明远
优胜奖：Ailsa Dai 戴艾莎, Allen Niu 牛啸天, Angela Cheng 郑宇涵, Anna Yao 姚静薇, Claire Qi 齐乐乐, Hailey Cheng 程嘉莉, Jiahao Chen 陈嘉浩, Julia Zhu-Han Pitt 强竹涵, Leah Li 李娅, Nguyen Thanh Tuan Minh 阮成俊明, Paddy Ly 李建毅, Sophia Wang 王琦媛, Than Nguyen Bao Ngan 身阮宝银, Tristan Xu 徐诺
Chinese Category - Middle School (38)
一等奖：Joshua Liu刘睿熙, Raymond Deng 邓睿明, George Xu 许熙麟
二等奖：Kathleen Xin 辛雨薇，Chloe Liang 梁加昱，Miya Zhang 张米娅，Jiachen Wu 伍家辰，Xinyan Lin 林欣妍，Jennifer Xia夏妞妞
三等奖：Serena Ji 季新悦，Eva Qin 秦夏依，Andrew Li 李思哲，Ruohan Du 杜若涵，Zixuan Victoria Qiao 乔梓轩，Katie Huang 黄楚芃 ，William Chung 钟威濓，Vince Cao 曹昀翰，Effy Zhou 周一菲，Jason Jiang江明周，Elizabeth He 贺启慧
优胜奖：Allen Dai 戴艾伦, Andrew Zhao 赵博言, Bella Lee 李贝拉, Clare Zhu 朱可乐, Daniel Huang 黄琦竟, David Li 李源琪, Grace Jiao 焦茹信, Haoxuan Xu 徐浩轩, Kyle Zeng 曾祥天, Leona Ho 何嘉欣, Lexi Tang 邓乐晞, Max Yu 俞豆豆, Serena Pan 潘思瑶, Sophie Chen 陈轩瑶, Sophia Guo 郭烨, Tej Qian 钱太之, Vivienne Sung 宋天欣, Yulong Huan 桓毓隆
Chinese Category - Elementary School (19)
一等奖：Leonard Zhou 周斯杨，David Wang 王大壮
二等奖：Alex Cao 曹可均，Benedict Chen-Bianchetti 陈瀚哲，Kelly Chen 陈凯琳
三等奖：Aimei Cathy Wu 吴艾玫，Gracie Ham 马驰春，Mingyi Sun 孙明义
优胜奖：Amelia Liu 刘芮, Chelsea Wu 伍乔希, Daniel Y. Bu 步云哲, Duola Zhang 张朵拉, Eli Fu 傅梓源, Ellie Liu 刘雪希, Joycelyn Chen 佳佳, Lia Wang 王萦致, Lucas Gu 顾皓元, Noah Chen 陈轩东, William Fu 傅梓航
English Category - High School (6)
一等奖：Ella Zhuang 韩予婕
二等奖：Larissa Deng 邓睿莎
三等奖：Allen Du 杜乐尧, Grace Chen 陈行敏
优胜奖：Grace H Yang 杨格格, Justin Jiang
English Category - Middle School (7)
一等奖：Isabella Rose Olvesen 徐天恩
二等奖：Serena Pan 潘思瑶，Alric Walker 张泽瀚
三等奖：Barbara He 何芳菲，Alex Huang 黄四之
优胜奖：Gloria Teng 滕楚萌, Haohan Wang 王浩瀚
English Category - Elementary School (7)
一等奖：Claire Zhou 周天玥
二等奖：Hannah Leung 梁巧慧，Amelia Liu 刘芮
三等奖：Aiden Chen 陈俊毅，Jerry Wang 王泽睿，Arina Du
优胜奖：Bryan Lai 赖麓飏
This year’s Valentine’s Day was especially meaningful for the students of the Zai Dao website. On that day, they visited Jiayuan Senior Center to celebrate the Lunar New Year with elderly Chinese Americans, spending a warm and unforgettable time together amid laughter and joy.
The “Spring Festival Visits to Chinese American Elders” has been a tradition that Zai Dao has upheld for five years. Each year, the students enter the community with performances, activities, and companionship, bringing New Year’s blessings to the elders. Through these repeated encounters, they also learn to care for others, to understand the passage of time, and to carry on their culture.
Early in the morning, the students arrived at Jiayuan Center. With the strong support of the staff, everyone worked together to decorate the venue, put up festive ornaments, and prepare materials for the event. The room soon overflowed with a rich holiday atmosphere. The program was hosted by two students, Doris Wang and Emily Jia. They first introduced the founding background and cultural mission of the Zai Dao website, then invited each participating student to come up one by one to introduce themselves and offer New Year greetings to the elders. Those heartfelt wishes filled the room with warmth and familiarity.
The students then presented a wonderful range of performances. Zheng Lin’s martial arts performance was crisp, spirited, and full of energy, winning round after round of applause. Li Sizhe’s guitar performance and singing were light and warm, and as the melody flowed through the room, the atmosphere became especially relaxed and cheerful. After that, the Zai Dao students gathered onstage once more and, accompanied by Sizhe’s guitar, sang “Happy New Year” together. The elders could not help but join in, singing along again and again. Song and laughter intertwined, making the whole space seem younger somehow.
After the performances came an interactive game session full of laughter. The riddle-guessing activity was hosted in turns by Liu Runyu, Du Leyao, and Tian Minkai. Other students busied themselves passing microphones and handing out prizes, and the atmosphere was lively and animated. The elders thought seriously, answered eagerly, and threw themselves into the game with a focus and enthusiasm no less than that of children in a classroom. The way they rushed to answer made you feel, very clearly, that their hearts were still young.
The handicraft portion created an even closer exchange between the students and the elders. Zai Dao had prepared paper-cutting materials, Year of the Horse designs, red lantern crafts, and a much-loved brush calligraphy station. Many of the elders were especially fond of calligraphy and eagerly picked up their brushes. “Write a fu (fortune) character for the New Year” quickly became one of the most popular activities. Before long, the tables were covered with bright red fu characters left out to dry. At Jiayuan Center, one 101-year-old gentleman wrote with force and elegance, while a 99-year-old grandmother remained bright-eyed and full of spirit. Like the others, they moved from booth to booth, trying different activities, chatting warmly with the students, and wearing joyful smiles.
Everyone sat together, making crafts while talking softly. The children were taught patiently, and the elders learned attentively. The elders told stories from the past, and the children listened with care. In exchanges like these, culture was passed on quietly; in companionship like this, affection flowed naturally.
At the same time, some of the students carried trays filled with candies and Chinese pastries, weaving through the crowd to place holiday treats into the elders’ hands. Those small sweets carried real thoughtfulness, making the holiday atmosphere all the more warm and tender.
Before anyone quite realized it, the event was drawing to a close. The elders held the red lanterns they had made by hand and the freshly written fu characters they had just completed, and posed for photos with the students. Applause broke out again and again. The elders sincerely thanked the students for coming and for bringing such joy and warmth. Many took out their phones to take pictures with the students, saying they wanted to remember this beautiful moment. In truth, the experience was just as meaningful for the students. Respecting the old and caring for the young was no longer just a phrase from a textbook. Through each visit into the community and each genuine encounter, it became something vivid and deeply felt.
Five years of persistence may not seem like some grand, earth-shaking achievement, but it has carried the most grounded and lasting kind of warmth. And through these acts, the students of Zai Dao have quietly grown as well.
He Xiaohui, the head of Jiayuan Center, was deeply moved and said, “The Zai Dao students’ Spring Festival visits to elderly Chinese Americans are tremendously meaningful. I’m grateful to the teachers for bringing Chinese culture to Chinese American youth, and grateful that the children, in turn, transform what they have learned into warmth given back to elders in the community. This is not only the inheritance of culture, but also a connection of hearts. This kind of dedication and care will surely blossom and bear fruit in the hearts of both generations.”
During this special Chinese New Year season, love was not only flowers and greetings. It was companionship across generations, the continuation of culture, and the gentle yet steadfast bond between one generation and the next.
