As an alumna of Yenching Academy (YCA) of Peking University, I find it hard not to feel a special connection to the 11th cohort's recent field trip to Zhejiang province.

From Nov 16 to Nov 22, these scholars from diverse backgrounds traveled through a province often associated with China's entrepreneurial energy and long historical depth.

As a core requirement of the program, the trip was designed to move learning out of the classroom and into places where history, culture, and contemporary China coexist, sometimes comfortably, sometimes not, and often within the same afternoon.

True to this spirit, the cohort's journey unfolded naturally. It opened in Hangzhou with a lecture by Professor Lu Yang on the development of Mahayana Buddhism and the city's role in shaping Buddhist thought across Asia.

This academic grounding was followed by a formal welcome ceremony, complete with the unveiling of the Hangzhou International Talent Exchange Practice Base. The day ended on a more playful note, as Yueju Opera — a Zhejiang-originated traditional art form — shared the stage with an abridged, student-led Romeo and Juliet, confirming that cultural exchange at YCA is rarely a one-way performance.

YCA scholars bring a Shakespeare classic to Hangzhou on Nov 16. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

History took over the next day at the Liangzhu Museum and Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City, where jade artifacts, water systems, and land use patterns illustrated how early civilizations aligned belief systems with their physical environment. A visit to the Lin'an Museum added another historical layer, focusing on the artifacts and culture of the Wuyue Kingdom during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period (907-960), bringing to life historical details usually reduced to footnotes.

Lingyin Temple briefly slowed the pace, pairing a moment of calm with Professor Lu's earlier discussion of Buddhism, for anyone still hoping the trip might count as a retreat. The calm did not last. The itinerary quickly shifted toward contemporary Hangzhou, with visits to robotics, AI, visual intelligence, and indoor agriculture companies.

At Robot Town and Kaierda, industrial robots performed their tasks efficiently and without concern for their audience. Shining 3D and Vision Valley demonstrated how digital designs become physical objects, while Cloudnine's servers gave scale to otherwise abstract discussions of artificial intelligence. The day concluded at 4D Bios, where strawberries grown under LED lights offered a persuasive argument that innovation now extends into food production and, conveniently, dessert.

A visit to Zeekr offers YCA scholars insight into advanced EV manufacturing. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The latter part of the trip unfolded in Ningbo. At Zeekr, they observed how electric vehicles are assembled through tightly coordinated manufacturing processes. At LUO Music Corporation, the production of Pleyel pianos offered a contrasting reminder that some forms of precision still depend on human hands and patience. The visit concluded at Tianyi Pavilion, one of China's oldest private libraries.

An 11th cohort Yenching scholar tests a Pleyel piano made in Ningbo. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Watching the 11th cohort navigate Zhejiang brought on a familiar wave of deja vu, not just because I, too, once stood puzzled in front of a 5,000-year-old jade cong (a ritual ware) in Hangzhou. It recalled the real YCA privilege: being in constant, humbling conversation with classmates who challenge your assumptions, ask better questions than you do, and somehow make disagreement feel productive rather than personal. As an alumna, I know those conversations will continue long after the itinerary fades.

Melania El Khayat is an editor at China Daily. She holds a master's degree in China Studies from the Yenching Academy of Peking University, with research focusing on digital public diplomacy and communication strategies. 

The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.