Participants try catching fish with their hands at Rugao Changjiang Senior High School's fourth fishing festival. [Photo/WeChat account: rugaofabu]

Students and teachers at Rugao Changjiang Senior High School recently swapped their classrooms for the water at the school's fourth Fishing Festival, taking part in a hands-on experience of traditional fishing practices.

Wearing chest waders, participants stepped into the water and tried catching fish by hand, bringing plenty of excitement to the campus event. Young international students from Russia, Pakistan and Cambodia were also invited to join in, experiencing a local fishing tradition alongside their Chinese peers.

The festival offered more than just a chance to get into the water. A Yangtze River culture program ran alongside the fishing activities, featuring interactive quizzes on ecological conservation and fish species.

Chinese and international students teamed up to answer questions and learn more about aquatic life, turning a day of fishing into an opportunity to explore local traditions, nature and the importance of protecting the Yangtze River's ecosystem.