The dumplings made by the delegates varied so greatly in shape that the judges agreed after a long discussion that an additional prize should be added to the original three. Four delegates, from Columbia, Romania, Ecuador and Belarus respectively shared the first prize.

"I've never made dumplings before. I was very excited to take part in the contest and decided to make the most pretty dumplings, because I love making pretty things with my hands," said Colombian Carolina Diaz, who won the prize for the best looking dumplings.

While putting dumplings into his mouth, Darrell Jenks, director of the American Center for Education and Exchange, said he had eaten in several Chinese friends' homes during the holiday and had also gone to a temple fair, enthralled by the unique traditional Chinese games and toys, especially shadow play.

"It's great to have Chinese food there and to see the Chinese are much richer than 12 years ago when I first went to their homes. It's also good to see China developing the new while keeping the old," he said.

The Jintai Art Museum, an institution engaged in non-official international exchanges, organized the contest to celebrate the Spring Festival with foreign friends.

Although an additional prize was granted, Yuan Xikun, director of the Jintai Art Museum, said that "it's really good to have so many embassy officials to celebrate the Chinese festival together."

(Xinhua News Agency February 6, 2003)