A study tour to Shanxi fosters mutual learning and lasting bonds 

Students from George School in Pennsylvania join students from Shanxi University for a performance in Taiyuan, Shanxi province. ZHU XINGXIN/CHINA DAILY

"My first impression is how small I really am – not only because of the huge mountains that surround us, but also because of the huge temple built into the mountains," said Khalil Shaheed, a student from the United States, as he stood in front of the Hanging Temple during a recent trip to Hunyuan county, Datong city in Shanxi province.

This was his first trip to China and he was awed by the sight of the ancient temple.

Built during the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534) and with a history of more than 1,500 years, the Hanging Temple is one of China's rare surviving sites where Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism coexist within the same complex.

"The things they represent and the beliefs that helped create it have been around for much longer than I have," he said.

As one of 13 high school students and teachers from George School in Langhorne, Pennsylvania, on a cultural exchange tour to Shanxi, Shaheed and his companions visited Datong, Taiyuan, Jinzhong and other areas in Shanxi from Oct 20 to 24.

The tour was co-hosted by the Foreign Affairs Office of the People's Government of Shanxi Province and China Daily Youth Channel, in accordance with an initiative to bring 100,000 young Americans to China for exchanges and study over the coming five years. The aim is to inject youthful vitality into people-to-people friendship between China and the US.

Another US student, Clay Marentette, also experienced China for the first time. At an intangible cultural heritage workshop in Liujiabu village, Taiyuan, he picked up a carving knife and tried to cut out the Chinese character for fu, which means blessing, on paper. Fu is one of the most popular and auspicious characters in Chinese culture, as it symbolizes happiness and well-being.

"I think that paper-cutting takes a lot of skill and patience," Marentette said. In his view, the aspiration for a better life carried by fu has special meaning for his generation.

During the cultural exchange trip, the group visited Shanxi University for exchanges on Chinese and Western music.

Students from Shanxi University performed the folk song Jasmine Flower (Mo Li Hua) on traditional Chinese instruments. The melody drew the US teachers and students into a chorus, as applause and laughter echoed in the hall.

"Music knows no borders. We played traditional Chinese instruments, such as the erhu, pipa, dizi, sheng, and suona, so that our American visitors could get to know China's native instruments," said Gao Zhijie, a student at the university's School of Music.

"Playing and singing together, we found a musical resonance that belongs to both of us," he said.

In turn, the George School students also put on a series of performances, including popular piano and violin pieces. One student even performed ballet. They also tried their hand at the Chinese instruments, gaining a first-hand experience of the unique charm of Chinese folk music.

"I was most interested in the pipa (a traditional four-stringed Chinese musical instrument), and I play the guitar, so I thought I could play it well. But I only realized after trying that there are a lot of differences, and the timbre is completely different, too," Marentette said.

"China is really far from the United States. And I think the fact that we can have a friendship is just really cool because there's such a great distance and a great cultural divide."

David Nolan, a music teacher from George School, improvised a duet with a Chinese student.

The lack of a score, an opportunity to rehearse and even a few wrong notes in the performance, did not dim the spirit of the performance nor its memory.

"I grew up in America studying and learning on my own, and she grew up here in China studying and learning on her own. We came together, and we played the same song at the same time – this is a shared experience. We did not play perfectly, but what we were able to create together was something that lifted the music off the page," Nolan said.

Cui Xianfeng, an official from the foreign affairs office, said: "The students are no longer learning about China indirectly through books and the internet. Instead, they explore the land on foot, experience the culture firsthand, and break down barriers through face-to-face communication."

Young people are a new force in mutual learning among civilizations and the most vibrant carriers of people-to-people friendship, he said.

"Most of the students are visiting China for the first time, and their firsthand experiences serve as a starting point for understanding Chinese civilization," he added.

Li Jialu contributed to this story.

Contact the writers at zhuxingxin@chinadaily.com.cn

The American students learn to make ceramics at a workshop in Taiyuan. JING QI/FOR CHINA DAILY 

Music teacher David Nolan (front) and his students stage a performance at Shanxi University. ZHU XINGXIN/CHINA DAILY