Programme: Cultural Study Camp in Beijing
Partner Institution: Beijing Language and Culture University
Period: June 23-July 6, 2023
When I first arrived in the capital, I thought I would feel out of place in a strange city with classmates I had never met. Fortunately, after arriving here, what I felt was everyone's enthusiasm and vitality.
On the first day of the course, the speeches given by the teachers provided us with a general understanding of the course, and watching the video sharing from the previous session made us look forward to the upcoming itinerary even more.
The actual itinerary was more exciting than we imagined. Whether it was indoor courses, including making sachets, building the Temple of Heaven, or ordering tea in the Song Dynasty, every student was very involved. The teachers were also very committed to enhancing our sense of experience, including preparing souvenirs and trying on Hanfu in class, all of which made us more immersed in it.
The outdoor itinerary was also wonderful. We walked through the Forbidden City. Inside the deep palace walls, we experienced the majesty of the royal family. Under the guidance of the tour guide, we understood the specifications and structure of the ancient palace. Compared with the Forbidden City described in the text of the book, the palace seen with one's own eyes is more solemn and awe-inspiring. There were also interesting explanations, such as the reason why Cixi never walked the imperial road and only Wenyuan Pavilion is blue. Even in the hot weather, the students still listened carefully to the tour guide's explanation and benefited a lot.
When we went to Shanxi, our itinerary was full of climaxes. The architectural wisdom of the Xuankong Temple was deeply engraved in our minds when we walked through every attic of the Xuankong Temple step by step. Being in the Xuankong Temple in the precipitous mountain gorge, people have the fantasy of flying immortals. After seeing it with their own eyes, they can understand the word "magnificent" that Taibai said. Being in the strange mountains, the mutual support of the partners was also moving. Everyone walked together and enjoyed the beauty of the Xuankong Temple at their own pace, which provided a sense of contentment.
In the itinerary in Shanxi, the contribution of the tour guide and the commentator was important. If it wasn't for the explaining teacher, perhaps even if we were in the Yungang Grottoes, we would have just rushed through them. When we arrived and sighed, it would have been considered as having experienced the Yungang Grottoes. But the existence of the explaining teacher made us not limited to the exclamation of "wow." We understood the four major cultures combined in the grottoes. Only then did we know that Chinese culture has never developed exclusively. Our broad and profound culture contains the wisdom of discarding waste and seeking refinement. Not only were we immersed in the wonderful introduction of the teacher, but even the tourists around us stopped and listened unknowingly, unable to miss it.
Back in Beijing, we devoted ourselves to the production of group assignments. We were full of inspiration and had many ideas to present. Although the time was tight, fortunately, our cooperation was seamless. After working hard, we were able to complete the group work, presenting our thoughts and journey results to everyone.
In addition, I have to mention that I am very grateful to the organizer for providing a platform for us to have the opportunity to publish the poems that we felt during this journey. We took July and Architecture as the theme, free to diverge our thinking and express our thoughts with pens. The poems of the students have their advantages and disadvantages. There are beautiful Song Ci works, creative new poems, and simple and refined ancient poems, which are full of charm and show everyone's full emotions during the journey.
This activity has come to an end, but our exploration of culture has just begun; our days spent together day and night have come to an end, but our connection has only just begun.
Thanks to the organizer and the responsible team for the arrangement, which made our itinerary wonderful. Thanks to fellow students for their mutual tolerance and support, which made our trip more enjoyable. Thanks to the hard work and persistence of the team members for making our work a successful completion.
I wish Beijing Language and Culture University a prosperous future; I wish everyone here a bright future; I wish the cause of cultural exploration will be more prosperous in the future, allowing more people to learn about Chinese culture.