Recitals of ancient Chinese poems about the moon were not entirely precise, but they resounded loudly from the Lenovo Internet lounge at the Paralympic Village on Sunday as the computer-maker's volunteers taught foreign Paralympic athletes to read in Chinese.

Volunteers led the reading while explaining the meaning of poems in English, French and Spanish.

The Lenovo Internet lounge at the Paralympic Village meticulously prepared a traditional celebration of the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival, for representatives of various countries at the Paralympic Village.

The event included the reading of ancient Chinese poems about the festival, listening to the stories of Chang'e, Goddess of the Moon, and Jade Rabbit, learning Chinese calligraphy, giving Chinese names to foreign athletes and tasting moon cakes.

To bring a real and close feeling of Chinese culture to foreign friends, Lenovo made careful arrangements at the lounge. Red lanterns were hung and paintings and calligraphy were displayed on walls. Traditional thread-bound books were used for guest sign-in. On a classical table, writing brushes, ink sticks, paper and inkstones were arranged. There were hand-made clay sculptures of rabbits as well as lovely stories about them.

A Paralympic athlete surnamed Gaig from Pakistan held a writing brush and wrote the two Chinese characters for tuan yuan (union) on a red lantern.

"I am very fond of Chinese traditional culture," he said. "This lantern has the first Chinese handwriting I've made in my life. I will bring this significant gift to my home country. I will soon reunite with my family and I will share my experience in China with them."

Alice Li, vice-president of Lenovo Group, noted that as a Worldwide Olympic Partner with roots in China and a partner of the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games, Lenovo has long been dedicated to the promotion of the Beijing Olympics and Paralympics.

"We also help disseminate Chinese culture in the world, so Lenovo hosted events to mark National Teachers Day and the Moon Festival to boost the mutual understanding. I hope they had an unforgettable festival," she said.