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More than 2,500 students attending a foreign language school in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, received special winter holiday assignments as they were leaving school last week with their minds already focused on the upcoming Spring Festival, the most important holiday for the Chinese people.

The assignments included "making New Year's visits to relatives, friends teachers and classmates and cooking a meal for your family on the eve of the Chinese lunar new year," instead of traditional written exercises.

Xiao Minghua, director of the school, said the move is aimed at promoting China's traditional ethics, such as respect for the elderly and devotion to parents, among the middle school students.

According to Xiao, at present, most of the students are only children in their families, and they are inclined to be self-centered due to the over indulgence of family members.

Thus, the school hopes that students will accept and carry forward the fine Chinese traditions through practicing them in their daily lives while they gradually accept foreign cultures.

The students were also asked to participate in activities such as helping the disabled and the poor and giving free performances for the residents of their communities. The students will use their pens and cameras to record their experiences.