Activities and Field Study Trips

Throughout the semester, students are invited to take part in a full schedule of excursions, events and lectures - all designed to enhance their understanding of China and the historical and modern influences that impact its culture and people. Shanghai program students will visit the famous Yuyuan park, the historic Bund along the Huangpu river, and the former French concession. Activities may include cultural performances, museum visits, special lectures, visits to artists' studios, architectural walking tours, and many opportunities to meet locals, including students from other campuses.

Local Activities

Sample activities from a recent Alliance semester at Fudan are listed below.  Activities for future terms are subject to change.

1. Lantern Festival

The Chinese Lantern Festival remarks the end of Spring Festival (Chinese New Year). People usually celebrate it with colorful lanterns, dumplings (tang yuan) and riddles. We had the chance to participate in a traditional celebration hosted by Jin’an Si Community, a well-known community in Shanghai.
 

2. Beijing Opera: The Story of the White Snake

The play is adopted from a famous classical Chinese novel and is a good example of how the spiritual world plays a role in the lives of Chinese people. Visit

3. Shanghai Propaganda Poster Art Center

The art center exhibits selected propaganda posters displayed across China 1949 to 1979. 

4. Visit Shanghai Propaganda Poster Art Center

The art center exhibits selected propaganda posters displayed across China 1949 to 1979. 

5. Visit Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center

Students learned about Shanghai’s history and development and ambitious plans for the future.

6. My Shanghai—Migrant Students’ Photography Exhibit

“My Shanghai” is an exhibit showcasing photographs taken by sixth grade students from Jin Hu Primary School.

7. Calligraphy class

Students learned the basic technique for writing Chinese characters with a brush as well as how to evaluate calligraphy as a work of art.

8. Acrobatics show: Pu Jiang Qing

Acrobatics is a pearl in the treasure house of the traditional Chinese performing arts and has existed in China for more than two thousand years.

9. Independent Film:?Gold  Of  Bund?

A contemporary drama directed by Wei Wu about recent university graduates seeking jobs.

10. Visit Shouchun Migrant School in Pudong

Students visited classrooms in small groups and got the chance to communicate with migrant kids in Chinese and understand their experiences.

11. Chinese Singing Competition (Final Activity of Chinese Week)

Students were divided into four groups to compete in singing Chinese songs.

12.  Visit Shanghai Roots and Shoots

Students got a detailed picture of how an environmental NGO works in Shanghai. Some students volunteer for their programs.

Field Study Trips

The Alliance organizes a one-week field study trip for students during the fall and the spring terms. Participating students at BLCU will travel to Sichuan or Yunnan province or to some other exciting destination that contrasts with Beijing (see below). Trip destinations are subject to change, please continue to check this site for the most up-to-date information or contact info@allianceglobaled.org.

Our Field Study Trips allow students to gain a greater understanding of Chinese culture, society, and economic development. As part of their Capstone Projects, students will continue to investigate an area of particular interest during this trip. In addition to the week-long trip, a weekend trip to a nearby city is also organized during the spring and fall terms. The summer programs include a five-day Field Study Trip.

Sichuan Province

Our trip offers students the opportunity to explore the mysterious lands of Jiuzhaigou, one of the best preserved wild life havens in China, and Emei Mountain, one of China's four famous Buddhist mountains with exquisite natural beauty and a long history of religious culture. Visits to Chengdu or Chongqing allow a glimpse into modern city life in the southwest. On this trip, students discover the contrast in Chinese economic and social development along the coast versus the inland provinces, learn about government policies affecting this region, gain a deeper understanding of Sichuan's minority nationalities, and relish the hot and spicy flavors of Sichuanese cuisine.

Yunnan Province

Yunnan province in southwestern China offers China's most diverse population of ethnic minority cultures, stunning scenery, and a rich history. Students will gain deep insight into Yunnan's local culture and artistic heritage. They will experience urban life in Kunming, visit small Yi or Miao minority villages, and hike Snow Mountain. The trip may include exploration of the great natural beauty of the Stone Forest or the rain forest of Xishuangbanna or an extensive encounter with the Bai minority culture in the ancient town of Dali.

Weekend Trip

Weekend trip destinations change each term.  One recent semester, students visited Shaoxing and Shipu. Shaoxing is one of the most important places reflecting the Jiangnan character—a cultural embranchment in China. Students were immersed local culture and stayed in the 400-year-old Taimen house hotel, took a local wupeng boat and visited the former residence of Lu Xun (a great Chinese writer). Shipu is famous for its fishing industry and natural island scenery. We visited the amazing Hua’ao Island (stone forest) and spent one night in the local fishing village of Dongmen Island to see a beautiful sunrise there.

Extra-Curricular Activities

The Alliance arranges extra-curricular classes which may include Chinese painting, calligraphy, cooking, taiji or other martial arts, seal carving, or paper cutting.  These classes offer a wonderful opportunity to learn more about traditional Chinese culture.