The spirit of the Orient came alive in Moray yesterday when children gathered to forge a new bond between the north-east and the far-east.
Youngsters were adorned in bright red while a Chinese lion paraded through Elgin Academy to mark the opening of its new “Confucius classroom”.
The room has been set aside to teach children from all over the region Mandarin and educate them on Chinese culture.
Two teachers have travelled from China to spend a year with pupils from 14 local secondary and primary schools.
Xu Zhou Wong arrived from the north-eastern Heilongjiang province of China at the end of August.
This is the first time the 27-year-old has visited the UK – and while she is fond of Scotland’s “beautiful” scenery, she thinks less of its food.
She explained: “The people are very nice and I like learning about the different culture, but I don’t think haggis is delicious.”
Youngsters from Aberlour Nursery began yesterday’s launch event by reeling off their names and ages in Mandarin, and Mortlach Primary School pupils followed by singing Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes in the language.
Older children from Keith Grammar School and Elgin High School subsequently recalled details about a trip to Beijing earlier this year.
Mortlach eight-year-old, Iris Geddes, has joined the school’s Mandarin club and said she enjoys learning about Chinese history.
The Confucius classroom is one of about 20 such facilities in Scotland, designed to help foster closer links between the two countries.
The initiative also means pupils and teachers will be able to travel to China more easily.
The chairwoman of Moray Council’s children and young people’s services committee, Anne Skene, praised the venture.
She added: “China is having in increasingly strong influence in our country, and it benefits our pupils’ career chances if they have a handle on Mandarin and Chinese culture.
“And any opportunity to visit different nations helps build pupils’ confidence and makes them more rounded people.”
The teaching posts are funded by Scotland’s National Centre for Languages at Strathclyde University, where the Confucius Institute for Scotland’s Schools (CISS) is based.
The group’s depute director, Fan Lin, joined Moray Council’s head of schools and curriculum development, Vivienne Cross, to cut the ribbon which opened the new classroom.