On October 17, the 2026 "Hongqiao Flower Valley Cup" Shanghai Citizens' Shanghai-Style Floral Art Competition and the Intangible Cultural Heritage Campus Event on Shanghai-Style Floral Arrangement was held at the Octagonal Pavilion on the Xuhui Campus of East China University of Science and Technology (ECUST). A total of 90 faculty members and students from six universities participated in the competition, including five international students from ECUST.
The Shanghai Citizens' Shanghai-Style Floral Art Competition has been held annually since 2015 to promote Shanghai-style floral arrangement, a form of intangible cultural heritage. This year's competition for university students and faculty members was hosted by ECUST and co-organized by several universities, marking the first time that faculty members and students competed on the same stage.
The competition featured themes such as "Beauty in Life," celebrating the vitality of campus life, and "ECUST Blue," commemorating the university's 74th anniversary. Participants incorporated flowers such as stocks, delphiniums, fire orchids, sunflowers, and water lilies into their arrangements, with blue as the dominant color, complemented by yellow and green to reflect the themes.
A total of nine first prizes, 17 second prizes, and 19 third prizes were awarded during the competition. Five international students representing ECUST—Toma Igori (Mongolia), Minji Kim (South Korea), Aiym Yerkin (Kazakhstan), Inessa Gennadevna Kim (Uzbekistan), and Amina Karbuzova (Kazakhstan)—achieved outstanding results, winning two third prizes and three Excellence Awards.
Floral Arrangements by ECUST International Students
Author: Toma Igori (Mongolia)；Title of work: "Flow"
Author: Amina Karbuzova (Kazakhstan); Title of work:根深向远，向光而行
Author: Minji Kim (South Korea); Title of work:紫气生花
Author: Inessa Gennadevna Kim (Uzbekistan) ; Title of work:：晴光入怀
Author: Aiym Yerkin (Kazakhstan); Title of work: "Folds of Time"
Through this event, ECUST international students gained firsthand experience of the artistry and cultural significance of Shanghai-style floral arrangement. By creating their own floral works, they deepened their appreciation of China's intangible cultural heritage and experienced the richness of traditional Chinese culture through hands-on learning.
