Foreign Participants Discover Shanghai's Rural Side Through Sports, Food, Watermelons

Following the success of its first offline event, Dancing with Shanghai, an online initiative to encourage Shanghai residents to share their lives, recently held its second activity in Tangbei Village, in the rural outskirts of the Pudong New Area.

Bringing together international students from Shanghai Jiao Tong University and members of the Foreign Storytellers' Club, the event showcased a different side of Shanghai beyond its modern skyline and bustling city center – the vibrant countryside and agricultural heritage.

The day began with a hands-on introduction to gateball, a sport that remains highly popular among China's elderly population. Often described as a combination of golf and snooker, gateball requires players to strike balls through designated gates while strategically knocking opponents' balls off course.

"It is similar to golf, which is something I have always wanted to try, but I had never heard of gateball before," said Hafiz Ullah, a Pakistani PhD student at Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

Hafiz admitted that the game's many rules initially felt intimidating, but as he became more familiar with them, he gradually began to appreciate its strategic elements and unique appeal.

"The staff were very supportive, and I hope I can play gateball again in the future," he added.

Following a friendly gateball competition, participants moved on to a culinary experience where they assisted local chefs in preparing traditional Shanghainese fried rice. They then sat down to enjoy an eight-course meal featuring authentic local dishes. For many of the international guests, it was a rare opportunity to experience home-style Shanghai cuisine.

Among them was Kuprikova Oksana, a member of the Foreign Storytellers' Club, who was particularly interested in the use of lard in traditional cooking. She noted that the ingredient contributes a distinctive richness and depth of flavor to the dishes.

"It's really delicious! I am glad I got a chance to try this food, since it is not so easy to taste really home-cooked, local food in the city center," she said.

After lunch, the group toured local greenhouses filled with the famous "8424" watermelons, one of Shanghai's most celebrated agricultural products. Grown in Tangbei Village, the variety is prized for its exceptional sweetness, crisp texture and refreshing flavor.

The event concluded with a spirited watermelon-eating competition, where teams raced to finish an entire watermelon in the shortest time possible. The lively contest quickly turned into a joyful scene filled with laughter, friendly rivalry and plenty of watermelon juice, providing a memorable finale to a day of cultural exchange and rural exploration.