Shrewsbury International School Hong Kong Champions a Culture First Approach to Chinese Language Excellence

Mid-Autumn Festival mooncake workshop with Cordis Hong Kong reflects the school's wider commitment to teaching Chinese through history, literature and tradition

HONG KONG, Sept. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Shrewsbury International School Hong Kong ("Shrewsbury HK") is putting culture at the centre of how it teaches Chinese, a philosophy brought to life this week through a Mid-Autumn Festival mooncake making workshop held in partnership with Cordis Hong Kong.

While the event itself, the Mooncake Masterclass, invited parents and children to make mini custard mooncakes on campus, its purpose reflected a broader ambition. Shrewsbury HK delivers a differentiated Chinese curriculum built around classical poetry and idiom stories at every level, a spiral dynasty based history programme spanning all six years of primary school, an annual study tour to the Hong Kong Palace Museum, and a dedicated Classical Chinese Appreciation course for Year 7 students, alongside three major Chinese cultural celebrations woven into the school calendar each year.

Ahead of the workshop, students had already spent a classroom unit studying classical Mid-Autumn poetry, including Su Shi's celebrated verse "Shui Diao Ge Tou", building their understanding of language through literature and history rather than rote memorisation alone.

"We are always looking for creative ways to connect meaningfully with our families," said Mrs Priya Kanthan, Principal of Shrewsbury Hong Kong. "The Mooncake Masterclass is the beginning of many more such initiatives to come."

"A mooncake is never just a mooncake: it carries a thousand years of poetry, memory and meaning," said Jasmine Ji, Head of Chinese at Shrewsbury HK. "When our students learn Chinese through culture rather than around it, language stops being something to memorise and becomes something they belong to."

Li Yuet Faat, Executive Chef of Ming Court, Cordis Hong Kong, who guided families through the mooncake making process, drew a parallel between the two disciplines: "In our kitchen, we do not simply teach technique, we teach the story behind every dish, just as this school teaches not simply characters, but the culture behind them."

Mr Bernard Charnwut Chan, Chairman of the Board of Governors, said the approach reflects the school's wider identity: "Shrewsbury Hong Kong exists to let our students hold an international outlook while never losing sight of where they stand. It is a strong example of how, together, our community continues to flourish."

The workshop forms part of Shrewsbury HK's strategic plan, Together We Flourish, and its ongoing commitment to giving students A Seamless Pathway to Global Excellence.

About Shrewsbury International School Hong Kong

Shrewsbury International School Hong Kong draws directly from the heritage of one of Britain's most distinguished independent schools. Founded by Royal Charter in 1552, Shrewsbury School UK has an exceptional record of excellence in broad academic study. As the only premium provider of British education in the region, our educational programme is grounded in the English National Curriculum and serves students aged 3 to 13, just 20 minutes from Central, together, on a seamless pathway to global excellence.

Notes to Editors
Shrewsbury International School Hong Kong
10 Shek Kok Road, Tseung Kwan O, Hong Kong
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www.shrewsbury.edu.hk

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SOURCE Shrewsbury International School Hong Kong