On February 3, 2026, the Graduate Education Office of the Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica (SIMM) held a Spring Festival gathering for Chinese and international graduate students. More than 30 students from different countries gathered with Chinese students to welcome the Lunar New Year in a festive and harmonious atmosphere, sharing friendship and joy. YE Yang, Secretary of the Party Committee and Deputy Director of SIMM, and HE Min, Director of the Graduate Education Office, attended the event. The event was hosted by WANG Hui, Deputy Director of the Graduate Education Office.

The event began with a melodious bilingual chorus of "Happy New Year" performed by international students in both Chinese and English. In the opening speech, YE Yang extended sincere New Year greetings to all students and vividly introduced the traditional customs and cultural significance of the Spring Festival. He encouraged both Chinese and international students to actively engage in cultural exchanges alongside their academic research, growing together through mutual learning and sharing. YE Yang also presented carefully prepared Spring Festival gift packages to students staying in Shanghai during the winter vacation.

During the cultural sharing session, Chinese students showcased the depth and richness of traditional Chinese medicine culture through explanations and physical displays centered around the theme of herbal medicine culture. International students, drawing from their own experiences, shared their understanding of Chinese traditional culture and introduced festival customs from their home countries, highlighting the charm of cultural integration through dialogue.

The interactive game session brought the atmosphere to a climax. Chinese and international students spontaneously formed teams and cooperated seamlessly, experiencing the elegance of ancient customs in an arrow-throwing game and winning surprise prizes in a cheerful ring-toss activity. Bright smiles and enthusiastic applause witnessed the blossoming of friendship across borders in that warm moment.

This event not only conveyed sincere New Year wishes to students staying in Shanghai for the holiday but also created a lively platform for cultural exchange between Chinese and international students, allowing those far from home to feel the warmth of "family" in Shanghai. SIMM will continue to organize diverse cultural activities to foster mutual understanding and common progress among students from different backgrounds, contributing to the cultivation of international talent and the building of a harmonious campus community.