It's difficult to know what China is like without actually exploring it’s magnificence. Home to a fifth of the world's population, China has so much to offer for everyone and is sure to provide a memorable experience. Don't take other's words for it, check it out for yourself! However, in recognition of the above statement, this trip accentuated on standards of giving us a wide range of understanding the Historical and Cultural Heritage of China.

Saturday 16th Nov, 2019 was a day especially scheduled for the visit to Oriental Salt Lake City in Changzhou. More than 40 Jiangsu University overseas students were led by OEC Staff Mr. Wang Bin to this historical site. The registered students took off at around 8:30am and headed to the Tourist Resort Center where the tour guide warmly welcomed us.

After the kind reception, the tour guide gave us a brief history and thereafter, safety tips to ensure our safety throughout the visit. In the Oriental Salt Lake resort, students experienced paper curving, scripture copying, and last but not least, a visit to the cultural museum.

The students got to understand that Chinese Paper Curving is one of the most popular traditional folk arts in China. This special art has a history of more than 1500 years. Chinese people, especially in Northern China, like to use paper cutting as a decoration during the Chinese New Year . To some extent, Chinese paper cutting is not only a decoration, but also an expression of emotion. Chinese Paper Curving is also popular around the world and is often gifted to foreign friends.

Still in the second half of the cultural visit, students were exposed to Chinese Scripture Copying of which we had a feel of participating in writing, drawing by means of tracing of various statements. However, we learnt about Chinese Scripture Copying as part of other meritorious practices which include the memorization and recitation of “sutras”. The effort of sutra copying is considered an expression of piety and recognized as a devotional practice, since it comprises worship, literature, and calligraphy.

As part of this educative and cultural trip, the students paid their last visit to Cultural Museum within the Oriental Salt Lake City Tourist Resort Center which is depicted to be a prominent museum of history and fine arts. Students came across the Treasure of Salt Lord (Dui) temple which is located at the ancient coast, where the Lord Salt Ge Hong is situated. The Lord was born in “Moashan Mountain” and he enlightened the people, protected the world and did the Taoist alchemy in the deep caves, where valuable colorful mine crystals were hoarded. As overseas students toured the spectacular Salt world, they had the opportunity to watch the fantastic sacrificial “Scattering the Auspicious Salt” and amazing cultural display.

On this note, the one-day trip was fruitful and surely enriched students’ extracurricular life and enhanced their understanding of Chinese Traditional Culture.

It’s our burning desire to disclose our special and profound gratitude to OEC for giving us this boundless opportunity to partake in such a research trip and not forgetting Mr. Wang Bin for his lovely support and efforts upon us throughout the trip.

Writer: Husseini Sulemana (Olive Daily) Editor: Madline Gichuhi (Olive Daily)