On May 25 and May 26 of 2024, International Affairs Office of Nanjing University organized a field trip to Suzhou. With exhange students gathering together, the whole journey brimmed with happiness and excitement. Through this trip, participants have realized the profundity and charisma of Chinese ancient culture.

35 exchange students from German, Australia, Canada, Sweden, Poland, etc. joined the trip, exhibiting multicultural charm and harmoniousness.

The Suzhou visit consists of two sections: a sightseeing tour of Zhuozheng Yuan, Pingjiang Road, and a visit to Suzhou Campus of Nanjing University.

Zhuozheng Yuan:

Arriving in Suzhou, students with curiosity and eagerness, set their feet onto the tiles of Zhuozheng Yuan (The Humble Administrator's Garden), which is one of the most classic gardens, a combination of buildings, ponds, bridges, paths and trees arranged in a specific manner. Along the route, students gained a full view of water scenary, green hills, delicate pavillions and lush flowers which form a poetic picture of Jiangnan. Roaming in this World Heritage site not only enriched students' knowledge about ancient Chinese garden art but also enabled them to savor the scenic, peaceful and eloquent beauty of the garden and listen to a story of the past time it told.

Suzhou campus:

On the next day, students paid a visit to The Suzhou Campus of Nanjing University in Suzhou New District. They learnt that the establishment of the campus resulted from the close and fruitful collaboration between NJU and Suzhou Municipal People’s Government. Also, they saw the remarkable progress made in various aspects, such as infrastructure construction, course development, student enrollment, research platform building, and industrial application of research findings.

The Suzhou Field Trip was more than just a tour of two days in a new region which allowed participants to marvel at the delicate-decorated architechture and novel technolgical infrastructure. It was an opportunity for exchange students to have a more insightful view into ancient Chinese Jiangnan culture, enhancing their recognition of Chinese culture and promoting cross-cultural understanding.

Shen Wenjie/ International Affairs Office

Li Ke, Ye Yujie/ SIECA