More than 370,000 students in Baiyun district, Guangzhou, began their spring semester on March 2 with a series of lively ceremonies that combined Cantonese tradition and modern technology.

The opening ceremonies were highlighted by dynamic lion dances and Cantonese nursery rhymes, while campus Cantonese temple fairs allowed students to experience intangible cultural heritage activities such as tie-dye, woodblock printing, Cantonese Opera face painting, paper cutting, and guessing pitch-pot and lantern riddles. By completing interactive tasks, students collected stamps and exchanged them for local cultural snacks, deepening their understanding of Cantonese traditions.

Students have fun at the lively campus temple fair. [Photo/WeChat account: gz_baiyunfabu]

Modern technology was fully integrated into the celebrations. At some schools, robots dressed in traditional costumes danced with students, while drones flew overhead to deliver blessings. Meanwhile, parent representatives presented red envelopes with good wishes, and teachers and students created calligraphy to express their expectations for the new term.

Costumed robots entertain students during the opening celebration. [Photo/WeChat account: gz_baiyunfabu]

In addition to cultural celebrations, a district-wide safety awareness session took place across local schools on the same day. Police officers and trained instructors delivered lectures on traffic safety, anti‑bullying policies, fire prevention, and geological disaster preparedness. Using real cases and interactive demonstrations, students learned practical skills in self‑protection and received important legal knowledge.

By combining cultural inheritance, technological innovation, and safety guidance, these well‑designed activities offered students a meaningful and impressive start to the new semester.