Teacher Tells China's Story Through Poetic Gesture Dance
Qin Yi, a lecturer at Zhejiang University of Technology, in east China's Zhejiang Province, for years has dedicated herself to aesthetic education, and to the promotion of Chinese culture. Known to millions as "Sister Xiaoyi" across various social-media platforms, Qin brings China's millennia-old cultural heritage to life, through graceful hand-gesture dances. From the classroom to digital screens worldwide, and from domestic education to international cultural exchanges, Qin makes fine traditional Chinese culture tangible, learnable and accessible. In March, Qin was named a National March 8th Red-Banner Holder.
Reviving Cultural Heritage
Qin's journey as a creator of Chinese cultural gesture dance began in 2018 with her simple wish: She wanted to help her young daughter learn classical poetry without the resistance that often resulted from rote memorization. As a lover of both Chinese culture and dance since childhood, Qin began transforming poetic imagery into simple hand movements. Her first project, Song of the Parting Son, delighted her daughter, who quickly memorized the poem through song and dance.
When Qin shared the Song of the Parting Son video online, to share parenting tips with other mothers, the response was overwhelming; parents flooded the comments section, with appreciation — and requests for more. The serendipitous moment revealed to Qin new possibilities to present traditional Chinese culture to wider audiences. Qin began systematically creating more gesture-dance pieces in her spare time, and her husband handled filming and editing. On weekends, the family often traveled to historical sites, across the country, to capture the authentic atmosphere of each poem.
In October 2018, Qin performed Thousand-Character Classic, while dressed in hanfu (traditional Chinese attire). The performance became her first viral hit, as it racked up more than 10 million views. Schools and parents began using her videos as educational materials, which solidified her commitment to cultural dissemination.
Qin is resolved to preserve cultural roots when she is creating. She is determined to perform poems with positive educational and aesthetic values, and she vows never to compromise quality for clicks. To make ancient poetry relatable to children, she breaks down complex texts into tangible, interactive details. "I combine familiar finger exercises, nursery rhymes, and little 'magic tricks.' Exaggerated expressions and body language instantly spark children's curiosity," she explains. To ensure accuracy of both history and literacy, she consults reference materials and experts, and she meticulously refines every gesture and melody.
Throughout the years, Qin has performed the gesture dances in primary and secondary schools across China. Once, in Kuqa, a city in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, a young Uygur child told her, "I know you! Our teacher showed us your videos at school." Qin was deeply affected. "I never imagined my gesture dance could offer children a window into our rich cultural heritage. A simple 'I know you' from a child is enough to make me tear up," she recalls.
On another occasion, after leading a gesture-dance session, a child told Qin, "Teacher, I want to promote our traditional culture, just like you." That promise became her strongest motivation. "Art can have a low threshold, but its ceiling is limitless. That child's words showed me the true beauty of new popular literature and art. It takes root among the people, and it delivers meaningful content to those who need it most," Qin says.
Sharing Culture, Through Hanfu
In her original video, Chinese Hanfu, Qin wears Tang Dynasty (618-907) attire, and she uses expressive gestures to convey her national pride — and her deep love for Chinese culture. Qin's fascination with hanfu began with its visual beauty, but eventually grew into a profound appreciation for the etiquette, and cultural depth, it represents. "It's not just clothing, it's a cultural symbol," Qin explains.
She says hanfu connects China's historical stories, traditional craftsmanship and national spirit. It also represents Chinese people's love for their motherland. "Everyone who wears hanfu is a messenger of heritage and patriotism," she says.
Qin premiered Chinese Hanfu during Chinese Clothing Week, in Shanghai, in 2024. While she was performing in front of the China Art Museum, she felt an overwhelming sense of pride. She says, "Throughout the years, hanfu has moved beyond niche circles, to Spring Festival galas and global stages. For example, it can be seen at Venice Carnival, in Italy, and at UNESCO Headquarters, in Paris, France."
Qin's videos have earned her invitations to various major international events, including the World Internet Conference and Understanding China conferences. Such experiences have broadened her view of and belief in cultural exchanges. "I've spoken with young representatives, from dozens of countries, and I've found, despite linguistic and aesthetic differences, our ability to appreciate beauty is universal," Qin says. The beauty of hanfu has the ability to quickly bridge cultures. "Telling China's story is not about one-way lecturing; it is through displaying exquisite hanfu, performing poetic gesture dances, and/or even interacting with my daughter on foreign streets," Qin says.
One seemingly casual video — 29 seconds of Qin performing the "magic trick" of pulling a gold ingot from her hanfu sleeve — garnered more than 4 million views on TikTok. That video also gained her hundreds of thousands of new followers, within a single day. "This enthusiastic response showed me the beauty of Chinese culture naturally transcends language and borders," Qin says.
Such experiences have shaped her approach to cultural outreach: Keep it simple. "We need to design symbols that resonate with overseas audiences; striking visuals, like hanfu in modern settings, and easy-to-copy gestures, like the traditional fist-and-palm salute, instead of lengthy explanations," Qin explains. International audiences, she adds, no longer view China as merely an ancient country in the East; rather, they are equally curious about China's vibrant, confident modern identity. "I'm committed to sharing authentic Chinese life, families and culture through relatable, contemporary content," Qin says.
By using TikTok, Facebook and various other global platforms, Qin has built a following of about 1.2 million overseas fans, and she has garnered more than 4 million likes. Many of her posts, which have attracted millions of views, have inspired children and parents, around the world, to imitate and recreate her videos. Some overseas parents have said their kids have learned the meanings of some Chinese characters through Qin's dances, which in turn has fostered their interests in Chinese culture.
One comment, from an overseas viewer, has left a deep impression on Qin. "Even though I don't fully understand the poems in the video, just watching the movements feels so beautiful," the individual wrote. Viewers, from different countries, and who speak different languages, can find a shared sense of emotion beneath one gesture-dance video.
Nurturing Hearts
As both a mother and an educator, Qin extends her thinking on cultural dissemination to family life, and she champions a "New Chinese-style Parenting" philosophy, which she sums up in three principles.
First, culture as roots: For Qin, parenting is more than teaching poems and etiquette to children; rather, it is about drawing nourishment from traditional Chinese culture, to plant seeds of cultural confidence and patriotism in children's hearts. Qin believes cultural confidence is the bedrock of one's inner strength, and it must be nurtured through everyday life, from a young age.
Second, experience as medium: Qin encourages her daughter to step out and explore the world. "Children who see more of the world grow stronger inside," she notes. "Whether it is wandering through nature, experiencing intangible cultural heritage, or visiting places celebrated in poetry, these experiences help children build resilience and courage."
Third, growth as outcome: "Ultimately, what matters is not just knowledge, but the full flowering of a child's character and emotions," Qin says. She encourages parents to read poems and explore the world with their children, together, to nurture their children's interests through quality time, "so every child grows into a person of substance, proud of their heritage."
As a university lecturer, Qin says she will continue innovating her teaching, by combining video creation, aesthetic education and ideological guidance. She will guide students in using new media to appreciate culture, and in creating short videos to promote fine traditional Chinese culture.
When asked about her plans for the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), Qin says she envisions "an aesthetic-education ecosystem, where everyone can participate and be nurtured at all times." She aims to promote her education philosophy and to create more high-quality content, which is understandable, learnable and practical. Qin clearly understands cultural inheritance is not a momentary craze, but a long-term commitment, which demands persistent effort. "It is only by infusing communication with narrative and warmth that fine traditional Chinese culture can radiate more lasting vitality in the new era," she says.
Qin says she will continue to provide excellent teaching at the university, produce high-quality content online, and make steady progress in her public-welfare endeavors. "I want more people to see the beauty of China, and to know about China's stories. I believe the vitality of new popular literature and art lies in making everyone believe: Art is for everyone," she concludes.
Executive Editors: Cui Rui and Lei Yang
Video Editor: Cheng Yijia
Photos from Interviewee
