The Confucius Institute of the University of California, Davis (UC Davis), was established in September 2013 in cooperation with Wuxi's Jiangnan University.

The first food culture-themed Confucius Institute held a series of activities to celebrate the Chinese New Year during January and February, including lectures about Chinese food and culture, workshops for Chinese cookies and tea culture, and lessons about Chinese paper-cutting.

Martin Yan, a graduate of UC Davis, gave a speech about pairing Chinese food with wine on Jan 31. Martin Yan has been devoted himself to popularizing the Chinese food and culture for years. He has brought Chinese culture to the general public through 2,000 TV episodes and film screens which received a 2 billion audience in 75 countries. [Photo provided to China Daily]

A lecture about Chinese tea culture attracts many local residents on Feb 5 in the Davis International House. [Photo provided to China Daily]

People in Davis, California, enjoy Chinese tea on Feb 5 during a Chinese tea ceremony in the Davis International House. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Catherine Chow, a Chinese American, plays the Guzheng, a 21-stringed musical instrument, on Feb 5 in the Davis International House. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Teenagers in Davis, California, learn Chinese calligraphy with guidance of teachers from the Confucius Institute of UC Davis. [Photo provided to China Daily]