Launched in 2021, “Zhi & Xing Guizhou” Silk Road Youth Exchange Program (ZXG) is sponsored by Guizhou provincial Department of Education and hosted by Guizhou universities and colleges, which is one of the youth exchanges programs of China-ASEAN Education Cooperation Week (CAECW). ZXG is designed to make international youth have further understanding of Guizhou and develop friendship with each other through exchange activities, and to also realize the unity of “Zhi” and “Xing”.

On September 23rd morning, we attended the opening ceremony where we were welcomed and introduced to Guizhou University by various leaders from different schools and departments. We later on had a lecture on Introduction of Zhi & Xing Guizhou Program after which a general information about Guizhou Province was given. We got enlightened about Guizhou’s geography, ecology, economics, ethnic culture, etc. In the afternoon, there was a campus tour around Guizhou University where we visited the University History Museum & Library and learnt about the history of Guizhou University. Guizhou University consists of 38 colleges, covering 12 branches of learning including philosophy, economics, law, liberal arts, history, education, science, engineering, agriculture, administration, art as well as medicine.

We attended the opening ceremony of the China-ASEAN Education Cooperation Week on September 24th morning, where we had the opportunity to sing a multi-language mixed chorus < <云开花开，你在我在>> with Chinese students and other visiting foreign students. It was a wonderful experience to perform on such a big podium with highly respected and renowned dignitaries. The Chinese students were warm and friendly, demonstrating how lovely the people of Guizhou are. We attended the opening of the 3rd Forum on China-Thailand Higher Education Cooperation the same day in the afternoon.

A big opportunity to visit the Third China-ASEAN Arts & Education Outcomes Exhibition took place the next morning where we got enlightened with the Art, Education, Intangible Cultural Heritage, Teaching, to mention but a few about the various ethnic groups with Guizhou characteristics, such as Miao embroidery, Miao batik, Miao paper-cutting, and Shui horsetail embroideries. On this day, we got the opportunity to meet well-known Professor Wang Mei, a Peking University professor and graduate teacher who is also a member of the Chinese Association of Artists. For nearly three decades, he has worked in animation and education. His most well-known novels include the Haier Brothers series, San Mao Wandering, and King Gesar. We got an introduction to FAST and Astronomical Knowledge lecture in the afternoon. FAST's construction method and operation were explained to us. The FAST (Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope) is a radio telescope in Pingtang County, Guizhou, Southwest China, located in the Dawodang depression, a natural basin. The 500-meter-diameter FAST dish was built in a natural depression in the environment. After Russia's sparsely-filled RATAN-600, it noted as the world's largest filled-aperture radio telescope and the second-largest single-dish aperture. The construction process began in 2011 and was completed in September of 2016. The following are the specifications and core objectives of the radio telescope: large scale neutral hydrogen survey, Pulsar observations, Leading the international very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) network, Detection of interstellar molecules, Detecting interstellar communication signal and pulsar timing arrays.

A forum for international youth students was held on September 26th morning. It was a discussion platform where overseas students could express their thoughts, ideas, and feelings about studying in China. There were seven topics namely: China in my eyes, my beautiful encounter with China, Sensing China Embraces the world, Different Countries share the same heart to fight epidemic - My story of fighting epidemic, Getting attached to China makes dreams come true, my understanding of building a community of shared future for mankind and Dream Chinese Taste and Culture. Each student was allowed five minutes to deliver a speech in Chinese on any of the topics of their choice. It was a pleasant experience as we exchanged our perspectives on living and studying in China. We had a lecture on Chinese Traditional Medicine Culture in the afternoon. We were taught the fundamentals of traditional medicine as well as its deep ties to Chinese culture. Acupuncture, moxibustion, cupping, Tui Na massage, herbal treatments, movement and concentration exercises (such as tai chi), and other TCM therapy approaches were discussed. During the lecture, some students were given the opportunity to try acupuncture and cupping. We enjoyed wonderful games in the evening of the same day. We had the opportunity to interact and talk with Chinese students and others during this program.

On September 27th (whole day), we experienced beautiful Guizhou’s landscapes and topographical features. The Guizhou Bridge Science and Technology Museum was our first stop (Balinghe Bridge). We learned about the progress of bridge construction in Guizhou and China as a whole here. The Baling River Bridge (Baling He Bridge) is a suspension bridge located in Guizhou province's Guanling county. The bridge, which connects Kunming and Guiyang via the G60 Shanghai-Kunming Expressway, cut travel time across the valley from one hour to four minutes. The suspension span is 1,088 meters long (3,570 feet), with a total length of 2,237 meters. With a clearance of 370 meters above the river, it is one of the world's highest bridges. We went to Huangguoshu Waterfall after the Baling He Bridge. On the Baishui River in Anshun, Guizhou province, it is one of China's and East Asia's greatest waterfalls. It measures 77.8 meters in height and 101 meters in width. The main waterfall measures 67 meters in height and 83.3 meters in width. One of the most impressive features of the waterfall is a water-curtain cave located in the back of the waterfall from which one may enjoy a view of the cascade. A 134m long naturally formed cave located in the back of the waterfall is known as Shuiliandong in Chinese. It's thought to be the home of Sun Wukong, the main character of the Buddhist fantasy novel Journey to the West. We went to Tianxingqiao Scenic Spot after Huangguoshu waterfall where we were greeted by refreshing cool air with light mist floating up along a towering mountain. Before plunging down the hill into the creek, a cascade gushes out of the rock crevices. This beautifully and naturally looks like a galloping horse hence the name “Mawei Waterfall”. The waterfall cascades down from above, crashing against the rocks and leaving droplets of water that resemble silver pearls. We liked the grandeur of Guizhou's lake, mountain, and topographical elements despite the hard day of walking.

There was a seminar on Chinese Tea Culture on September 28th morning. We learned about Guizhou tea's history, variations, and enjoyment. Tea was first drunk in China, and it has played an important role in Asian culture as a staple drink, a curative, a status symbol, an art form, and a way of life for centuries. We learned about prominent Chinese tea culture contributions like Lu Yu and Shennong. We learned about Chinese tea classification and the six different types of Chinese tea (Green tea, yellow tea, white tea, oolong tea, black tea and dark tea). We had a practical class on how to prepare chinese tea. Teapot, teacups (aroma cup & drinking cup), tea tray, tea tool, tea leaves, faircup, and strainer were all introduced to us after which we participated in the gongfu (Kungfu) tea ritual. Closing ceremony was held in the afternoon where we presented our experiences with the ZHI & XING Guizhou Silk Road Youth Exchange program. We were given participation and achievement certificates. The 8-day cultural lectures and pragmatic courses coupled with its fascinating experiences came to a conclusion at this point.

We departed Guizhou University on September 29th. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and a fantastic opportunity to represent Jiangsu University on such a large scale. We are grateful to all partners for providing such a program for overseas students to learn about and experience China. Also, thank you to our illustrious school (Jiangsu University) and our accompanying teachers for looking after us and supporting us during our visit to Guizhou University.

(OEC)