By Madilyn Cataloni, Contributing Writer
On Friday, the China Unboxed Club held its Tanghulu Night event, celebrating Chinese culture, community and food. The event was held from 5 to 7:30 p.m. in the basement of the Office of Multicultural Engagement.
Tanghulu Night was planned to bring Chinese culture to Gettysburg and educate students about the origin of tanghulu, a Chinese candy fruitstick dessert. With tanghulu gaining popularity on TikTok, the organizers found the event as a way to bridge the gap between students and Chinese culture.
Student creates a tanghulu skewer. (Photo Grace Jurchak/The Gettysburgian)
“Tanghulu is a very popular street food, but recently, it’s gone viral on TikTok” said China Unboxed president Flavia Vo ’27. “In the summer, I asked a few of my friends about it, and they just answered, ‘isn’t it from Japan or Korea’? And I said, ‘no, it’s actually from China.’ So I thought I should do an event to promote that”
The event started with a presentation discussing the history of tanghulu. Then, attendees could choose strawberries, grapes or oranges to be covered in melted sugar to make their own tanghulu.
Vo helped start the China Unboxed club last spring and has been a part of it for around nine months. The club was started after the prior Chinese culture club disbanded.
The China Unboxed club is going to be hosting future events open to Gettysburg students. One of the events they are hosting is a joint event with the Japanese club.
“We’re gonna make wonton soup and they’re gonna make gyiza, like a Japanese dumpling,” said Vo. “And next week, we’re gonna have our own dinner night with the Chinese classes”
Future events that will be hosted will have an emphasis on the integration between Chinese culture and the Gettysburg community.
Tanghulu made by students. (Photo Grace Jurchak/The Gettysburgian)
