When a Soup Dumpling Class Became a Birthday Celebration

A 12th Birthday, Soup Dumplings & a Family Journey Across China

A 12th birthday, handmade soup dumplings, a little crown, and a very long birthday song in Spanish — what started as a family cooking class in Shanghai became a very special afternoon.

A Family Journey Across China

Everyone received an apron with their name on. Their names were written alongside our studio logo, 尹工作室, written in the traditional seal script style.

We recently welcomed two families from Spain to Yin Studio: four adults and four children traveling together on a 23-day journey across China.

Their trip had already taken them to Yangshuo and Chengdu before they arrived in Shanghai. After Shanghai, Beijing would be their final stop.

They had booked their xiaolongbao-making class more than 20 days in advance. But when they arrived, we soon discovered that this was going to be more than a regular cooking class.

It was Vera's 12th birthday.

Just two days after arriving in Yangshuo, Vera had broken her leg and had been traveling with a wheelchair and crutches ever since. Despite the unexpected change to their trip, the family continued their journey across China.

So we decided to add a little something special to her Shanghai birthday.

A Little Birthday Surprise

Vera with her hand made dough

We prepared a few small gifts for Vera: a "Birthday Girl" sash and a little crown.

She loved them immediately.

She wore them throughout the entire class and, when it was time to leave, carefully packed them into her bag to take home.

We also arranged a birthday cake.

But before we could celebrate, there was still one important thing to do:

make soup dumplings.

Four Children, Four Different Personalities

The four children were 8, 10, 10, and 12 years old.

One of the most rewarding things about teaching children is seeing how quickly they become independent once they understand the basic technique.

After just one or two demonstrations, the three older children were already making their own soup dumplings. I gave them a few small suggestions along the way, and they were able to adjust their technique and improve by themselves.

Paula, the youngest at eight, also made three dumplings on her own. She made two more together with her father, Alex.

Paula, the youngest at eight, also made three dumplings on her own.

There were a few moments when the dough did not quite cooperate, and Paula became a little frustrated. But she kept going, and by the end she had her own dumplings ready to cook.

Alan Takes Dumpling-Making Seriously

Alan, one of the 10-year-olds, was full of energy throughout the class.

He was always looking out for the girls and helping them along the way.

He also took his own dumpling-making very seriously.

Alan,working on making dough in soup dumpling class in Shanghai

After a few attempts and some encouragement, he was especially proud of the dumplings he made himself. He posed for a photo with his finished work, making a wonderfully funny face.

Alan posed for a photo with his finished work, making a wonderfully funny face.

And then came the best part: tasting them.

After taking a bite, Alan told me:

"This is the best soup dumpling I've ever eaten."

We will happily accept that review.

Quiet Hands, Beautiful Dumplings

Lucia was much quieter.

Small and petite, she worked patiently and carefully without saying very much.

But her dumplings spoke for her.

Lucia made some of the prettiest soup dumplings of the afternoon.

She made some of the prettiest soup dumplings of the afternoon.

And Vera had her own specialty: she put more filling into her dumplings than anyone else.

It was lovely to see how differently each child approached the same task.

They all learned the same basic technique, but their personalities somehow appeared in their dumplings.

From One to Twelve

While the dough was resting, we took a break from making soup dumplings for something much more important: Vera's birthday cake.

Her family gathered around the table and started singing a birthday song in Spanish.

When they finished, Vera blew out her candles.

Or so she thought.

Her younger brother, apparently not quite ready for the celebration to end, mischievously lit the lighter again and gave Vera another chance to blow out the candle.

Everyone laughed.

And then came the part we hadn't expected.

The family began singing:

"Que no cumple uno, que no cumple dos..."

They started at one and counted all the way to twelve.

By the time they reached doce, Vera had sat through a surprisingly long birthday song. Her expression somewhere between amused and slightly "Are we still doing this?" made the whole moment even more memorable.

Finally:

¡Doce!

Twelve.

And just like that, our soup dumpling class had become a very Spanish birthday celebration in the middle of Shanghai.

[Video: From One to Twelve — Vera's Birthday in Shanghai 🎂]

We may not have known every word of the song, but we certainly understood the most important part: Vera was twelve.

From Dumplings to Everyday Life in China

As we cooked and talked, our conversations naturally moved beyond food.

Sergio told me that when the family first arrived in Yangshuo, they had noticed many people eating outdoors. He wondered whether Chinese people generally preferred eating outside.

I explained that outdoor dining was more common decades ago, particularly when many families lived in single-story houses and daily life looked quite different from today.

Outdoor dining can still be found in China, especially in rural areas, tourist destinations, night markets, and local food streets. But it isn't necessarily representative of how most urban Chinese families eat at home today.

The conversation then moved to Chinese homes.

Because Yin Studio is located in a traditional Shanghai lane-house environment, the family was curious about how Chinese homes are arranged.

Some older Shanghai homes still have kitchens located separately from the main living space. Our own studio, however, has been renovated so that the kitchen connects directly with the main room.

I explained that a modern apartment for a family of three might be around 100 square meters. Usually, there is a separate kitchen, often relatively narrow, while the dining area is commonly connected with the living room.

Sergio smiled and said that this sounded quite similar to homes in Spain.

And that is one of our favorite things about cultural exchange.

Sometimes you start with a question about food and end up talking about how families live.

A Birthday to Remember

After all the folding, filling, laughing, singing, and celebrating, it was finally time to eat.

Sergio’s and Alex’s families enjoying their handmade soup dumpling in Shanghai

Vera sat with her family and enjoyed the soup dumplings she had made herself, still wearing her birthday crown.

Vera’s soup dumpling time

Her family had arrived in Shanghai as part of a long journey across China. They would soon continue on to Beijing, with many more experiences still ahead.

But for one afternoon, their China journey paused around a table in Shanghai.

There were handmade soup dumplings, a birthday cake, four children learning something new, and a birthday song that went all the way from one to twelve.

And Vera left with her little crown carefully packed away in her bag.

We hope that years from now, she will remember not only the places she visited in China, but also this little birthday celebration in Shanghai.

Culture Note

Do Chinese Families Usually Eat Outdoors?

If you travel through China, especially in smaller towns, rural areas, or tourist destinations, you may sometimes see families and groups eating outdoors.

This can give visitors the impression that outdoor dining is a common part of everyday Chinese life.

Historically, outdoor eating was more common in some communities, especially when many families lived in traditional houses with limited indoor space.

Today, most urban Chinese families eat at home around a dining table, usually in a dining area connected to the living room. Outdoor dining is more often associated with restaurants, food streets, night markets, rural areas, or tourist destinations.

Beginner Chinese

Learning Chinese Through a Birthday

During the birthday celebration, we also introduced the children to a very useful Chinese expression:

生日快乐 (shēngrì kuàilè) — Happy Birthday.

We talked about the word 快乐 (kuàilè), which means "happy."

The children learned that they can use 快乐 in many other familiar greetings:

生日快乐！
Shēngrì kuàilè!
Happy Birthday!

新年快乐！
Xīnnián kuàilè!
Happy New Year!

This is one of the things we love about introducing children to Chinese through real experiences.

Instead of learning a word from a textbook, they heard it in the context of a real birthday celebration.

A Glimpse Inside a Shanghai Home

Shanghai's traditional 弄堂 (lòngtáng), or lane houses, developed very differently from modern apartment buildings.

Traditional homes often had compact spaces and layouts shaped by the needs of families and the architecture of the neighborhood.

Modern apartments are generally more standardized. A family of three living in a 100-square-meter apartment might have a separate kitchen, bedrooms, a bathroom, and a living/dining area.

The kitchen is often relatively narrow and practical, while the dining area and living room may share one connected space.

Interestingly, this is not so different from what many families experience in Spain.

Comparing homes can be another simple way of discovering how similar everyday life can be across cultures.

At Yin Studio

At Yin Studio, a Chinese cooking class is rarely only about cooking.

A soup dumpling can lead to a conversation about family life. A Chinese name can become an introduction to calligraphy. A birthday can become a chance to learn a new word.

And sometimes, while waiting for the dough to rest, a cooking class simply becomes a birthday celebration.

🍳 Chinese Cooking Class
Cook authentic Chinese dishes with local ingredients.
Read More →

📖 Guest Stories
Read more stories from our guests in Shanghai.
Read More →