Cultural Visit to Xitang Water Town—2016 International Student Activities

Nov.13, 2016, 60 international students attended the outing organized by the International Office of ACEM, enjoying a one-day trip to the beautiful Xitang Water Town.

Xitang Water Town, lying in Jiashan County in Jiaxing City, Zhejiang Province, is a famous town with thousands of years of history. Cobbled streets, old buildings, bridges arching over canals, rowing boats lingering on the river, and locals singing folk songs… as soon as students stepped in Xitang, they were amazed by this completely different world from the hustle and bustle of nearby Shanghai.

After having the special local dishes together, students were grouped to start their exploration. Some students took the quaint boats, floating peacefully on the rivers. Some enjoyed the walking on the long covered footpaths, one of the most unique features of Xitang. Some watched the interesting crafting of traditional handmade snacks and tasted the flavors. Some tried bargaining with the small shops over souvenirs. Some visited the museums, got fascinated by a wide of range of items including historical documents or collections of old bamboo carvings, wood sculptures, decorative bricks and tiles.  

When arriving in the morning, Xitang brought fresh air and light fog; when left at the dawn, the setting sun casts a rosy glow on the old tiled roofs. On the returning buses, students exchanged pictures they took and experiences they enjoyed for the day, anticipating another wonderful time with friends at the next International Students Activity.

The cultural visit serves as one of the most popular activities of the China Class Series hosted by the International Office of ACEM. The China Class Series aims to establish a customized mobile classroom of Chinese culture and history, offering the international students excellent opportunities to get a better understanding of the essence of Chinese culture and of the modern society. Other China Class activities include Go Class, Kungfu Class, and Business Chinese Class.