From November 20 to 23, over 100 international students from East China Normal University divided into three groups traveling to Beijing, Changsha, and the Jiande-Wuzhen area, successfully completing the fall semester cultural field trip under the Chinese Language Featured Program. This experiential learning activity enabled students to gain deeper insights into the continuity of Chinese civilization and contemporary China's innovative development through on-site exploration of historical cities and modern achievements.

Beijing: Exploring the Historical Axis of the Ancient Capital

Participants visited iconic landmarks including Dashilan Commercial Street, Tiananmen Square, the Palace Museum, Temple of Heaven Park, the Summer Palace, and the Badaling Great Wall. At Dashilan, students discovered traditional Beijing commercial culture through its time-honored brands. Tiananmen Square and the Palace Museum provided close-up observations of Ming and Qing imperial architectural design principles. The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests and Circular Mound Altar at Temple of Heaven sparked discussions on Eastern architectural philosophy. The Summer Palace demonstrated the unique fusion of northern and southern garden artistry. Students culminated their Beijing journey by climbing the Badaling Great Wall to experience the grandeur of this World Heritage site.

Changsha: Immersing in Hunan Culture

The Changsha itinerary highlighted the city's "River-Island-City" character. The group first arrived at Orange Isle, experiencing the blend of natural and cultural landscapes along the Xiang River. They then visited Nanyue Temple, examining southern China's largest ancient architectural complex integrating Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism, and ascended Mount Heng to appreciate Hunan's renowned mountain scenery. At the Hunan Provincial Museum, students systematically studied regional civilization development. At Yuelu Academy and Aiwan Pavilion, participants encountered ancient Chinese academy education traditions and seasonal landscape aesthetics.

Jiande-Wuzhen: Experiencing Jiangnan Charm and Modern China

The Zhejiang route focused on Jiangnan water town ecology and modernization achievements. In Jiande's Yanzhou Ancient City, the group observed the ink-wash painting aesthetic of the Fuchun River reflecting ancient city walls. They climbed Daci Rock Suspended Temple to understand the "unity of heaven and humanity" philosophy in cliffside architecture. At Zhuge Bagua Village, students experienced the traditional wisdom of Eight Trigrams village layout. At Thousand Islands Lake, the group toured the Nongfu Spring production base and Xin'an River Hydropower Station to investigate how natural resources transform into modern industries through technological advancement. In Wuzhen, participants observed ancient town preservation and cultural tourism development outcomes.

Throughout the four-day, three-night program, students developed a multidimensional understanding of China's traditional culture preservation and modernization pathways. We look forward to future cultural exploration opportunities.