A fair featuring Hai'an's local specialties is held at the Hai'an campus of the Nantong Institute of Technology to welcome freshmen. [Photo/Nantong Supply and Marketing Cooperative]

The Hai'an campus of the Nantong Institute of Technology welcomed more than 1,700 freshmen on Aug 27. To mark the occasion, the Hai'an Supply and Marketing Cooperative Federation, together with local organizations and enterprises, organized a special fair to showcase the region's distinctive products and cultural charm.

The fair featured 13 exhibition booths spanning food, beverages, healthcare products, cultural and creative goods, and silk apparel. Local specialties such as Hai'an shrimp paste, salted shepherd's purse, crispy biscuits, rice, and grapes attracted crowds. Parents of incoming students eagerly sampled the products, many making on-the-spot purchases.

In the cultural and creative section, Hai'an's cultural tourism bureau and postal service presented a variety of products highlighting the city's history, culture, and natural scenery. At the traditional culture booth, freshmen enthusiastically tried their hand at traditional rubbing techniques, experiencing firsthand the unique artistry of Hai'an.

The fair also included a health service section, where Hai'an Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital provided free pulse consultations and herbal beverage packs.

In addition to stimulating on-site consumption, the fair offered a broader platform for national promotion. Many parents scanned QR codes at booths to continue purchasing online.

A campus official noted:" Bringing the fair to campus not only enriched our orientation activities but also allowed students and parents to experience Hai'an's local culture from day one."