Students from Intensive Chinese Program Class 3-1 of ECNU visited the West Bund. Following a route from Longyao Road Station to the West Bund Dream Center, West Bund Museum, Tank Shanghai, and finally Longhua Station, they embarked on a social practice activity focusing on the theme of "Transformation and Revitalization of Industrial Heritage in Modern Society."

First Exploration: Measuring the Interweaving of Old and New with Footsteps

Once one of Shanghai's most important logistics, warehousing, production, and processing bases, as well as a cradle of national industry, this area is now known to the world by another name: WEST BUND Shanghai West Bund. What old elements has it retained? And what new features does it possess? The students used their cameras to capture the mottled pipelines, bricks and tiles alongside the brand-new glass curtain walls and art installations. Along the way from Longyao Road to Tank Shanghai, they directly experienced the coexistence of historical traces and modern vitality.

Close Observation: Deciphering the Spatial Code with a Keen Eye

Working in small groups, the students observed, recorded, and contemplated how this former industrial area has gained new vitality from different perspectives. The four groups delved into factory buildings, silos, plazas, and shops. They systematically interpreted the diversity and rationale behind the new functions given to the industrial heritage, from the grand spaces of the factory buildings and the modern functions of the silos, to the material combinations of walls and pipelines, and the emerging business formats within the mall stores.

Listening: Collecting the City's Voice through Dialogue

By randomly interviewing tourists and residents, the students collected genuine opinions about the West Bund's aesthetic appeal, historical awareness, and evaluations of its transformation, understanding the diverse impressions this space holds in the public's sentiment.

Critical Thinking: Seeing Global Wisdom through Comparison

Combining insights from the interviews with transformation cases from their own countries, the students affirmed the cultural value of this transformation model in their discussions and contributed their own perspectives on the sustainable utilization of heritage in their group presentations. This practice was not only a language exercise but also a vivid lesson in urban development, allowing the students to personally experience Shanghai's unique wisdom in urban renewal through walking and contemplation.

Social practice activity is an extension of Chinese class, taking students into various aspects of life in Chinese society, applying Chinese in real-life context, and gaining language progress and cultural insights.