Expats from the Czech Republic and the United States learn how to make stuffed animals from Yuan Xiaoxian, a villager who has rediscovered her passion for sewing by participating in an arts project initiated by a professor of arts at Beijing-based Renmin University of China. The project aims to bring out the artist in the villagers by encouraging them to create artworks by themselves. Yuan now runs a studio for making stuffed toys named after her. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

Expats from five countries have been given the chance to experience how Gejia village in Ningbo of Zhejiang province has been reinventing itself through art during a trip co-organized by the information office of the Ningbo government and China Daily.

The trip, named "Focus on Ningbo", started on Wednesday and will end on Saturday.

A piece of wall decor created by a group of villagers using moso bamboo, a locally grown plant and a readily available material for making handicrafts.  [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

Expats from the United States and India have a go at making maci, a kind of glutinous rice cake. Maci is a traditional snack that has captivated the taste buds of generations in Zhejiang province. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]