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To foster global dialogue on canal culture, Yangzhou University recently arranged for 20 young students from China and abroad to take a cruise tour along the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal in Yangzhou, during which they conducted in-depth research on the city's cultural ecosystem.
Students watch a traditional instrument show on the cruise. [Photo/yznews.cn]
The cruise sailed from Dongguan Ancient Ferry to Guazhou Ancient Ferry. Along the way, greeted by picturesque attractions like Wenfeng Pagoda, students listened to bilingual introductions on the canal's smart water management and cultural allusions.
An artisan teaches an international student to manipulate a puppet. [Photo/yznews.cn]
They also enjoyed a range of traditional performances, including Yangzhou pinghua (storytelling) and Yangzhou Ditty (an ancient type of folk music). They tried their hands at manipulating puppets and making tongcao flowers (artificial flowers made from rice-paper plant), which has been designated as an intangible cultural heritage craft.
Students take a group photo at Guazhou Ancient Ferry Park. [Photo/yznews.cn]
Upon arrival, students visited the World Heritage Site Inscription in Guazhou Ancient Ferry Park, paid respects to Jianzhen, a Yangzhou-born monk who spread Buddhism through six trips to Japan, at Jianzhen Memorial Hall, took group photos at Chenxiang Pavilion, and soaked in the poetic atmosphere at Zhang Ruoxu Memorial Hall.
At noon, they sampled Huaiyang specialties like Dazhu Gansi (boiled tofu strips) and Yangzhou fried rice, satisfying their taste buds.
In the afternoon, the cruise returned from Guazhou to the Yunhe Sanwan scenic area. There, teams explored along an ecological restoration route, observing cultural revitalization practices.
Then, they delved into the China Grand Canal Museum, learning about the canal's past, present, and future, from the application for World Heritage status to the recreation of Qing-dynasty (1644-1911) canal-along streets and a comparison of development models with global canal cities like Venice and Suez.
The group was deeply impressed by the event. A student from Russia intended to share his experiences on social media and invite relatives and friends to visit Yangzhou. Meanwhile, a Tajikistani student said, "The scenery along the way is so beautiful. It's a fantastic trip!"
