A group of international students from Shandong First Medical University recently visited Xintai city, a county-level city of Tai'an, to celebrate the coming Mid-Autumn Festival on Sept 29.

They visited Xintai Museum, where the students were briefed on the city's storied history and the significance of its cultural relics.

They also went to an exhibition hall to learn about Taishan huamo, or flower-shaped buns, which ranks as a municipal-level intangible cultural heritage item.

"You take the dough for the pastry and roll it into a round and thick pancake. Then you take the fillings, which should be about the same size as the yolk of a chicken egg, and wrap them in the pastry," the chef told the students as they tried making mooncakes and peach-shaped huamo.

"This was my first time making mooncakes so it was a bit challenging, but when I finally made it, it turned out to be beautiful and tasty," said a student named Yati from India.

The students also visited an old well in Zhangpingwa village and were impressed by its large size and the dragon design on the stairs reaching down to the well.

International students visit Xintai Museum to learn about its long history and cultural relics. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

An international student shows the mooncake she made. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The international students visit an old well in Zhangpingwa village. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]