Scotch College

China tour 2000

A group of Chinese students travelled to China during the Easter break, eager to be exposed to a society and culture so historically significant and foreign compared with their own.

The itinerary included visits to cultural landmarks, such as The Great Wall of China at Beijing, then a trip to Nanjing and Shanghai.

At Beijing we lodged at the boarding facilities of the Beijing University High School. These had been built especially for Western visitors, each room installed with an en suite, including a Western toilet and shower. Indeed, this was a relief to many among the group who had been informed of primitive public facilities, namely the 'squat' toilet!

During the first day, the group visited The Temple of Heaven, a sacred area visited habitually by the Emperor to pray, and Beihai Park, the former leisure gardens of the emperors.

Of course, visits to Tiananmen Square, The Forbidden City, the incredible Ming Tombs and The Summer Palace followed during our stay at Beijing, with a proud sense of history evident among the tall statues and monuments. Then, perhaps the greatest challenge, The Great Wall of China. The group climbed a seemingly endless flight of stairs to reach the Wall, where magnificent views over the Chinese countryside brought a great deal of satisfaction to even the most exhausted among the group!

When we returned to Beijing, each of the students was introduced to his homestay partner from the High School, in whose home he would stay overnight. This proved a deeply satisfying experience, with the direct exposure to Chinese family life providing invaluable experience and contact with Chinese culture.

While the group met many interesting people during the visit, perhaps the most surprising were the group of French students, also lodged at the Beijing University High School, eager to communicate and share their experience with fellow foreign students.

We then travelled to Nanjing by train, to stay for a further two days. There, we visited Yangzhou, an ancient Chinese city close to Nanjing, and the mausoleum of Dr Sun Yat Sen, a pioneer of the Chinese revolution. The group was also taken to the Yangtze River Bridge, an enormous, historically powerful monument, and to a fascinating astronomical observatory.

From Nanjing, the group travelled to Shanghai, a metropolis of high-rise buildings and the bustle of a rapidly expanding city. We visited the Bund, a stretch of colonial architecture, reminiscent of early European style, and also the modern Shanghai TV Tower. During the evening, the group took a cruise around Shanghai Harbour, the city fully lit and looking most spectacular.

Though the visits to significant landmarks of Chinese culture provided the group with a fuller understanding of the Chinese people, the most beneficial experience for the speaking skills of the students was the interaction with Chinese folk, not forgetting the opportunity to bargain at markets to obtain the most dramatically affordable price. This indeed offered a glimpse, though brief, of Chinese everyday life.

Special thanks to Mr Zhang and Ms Tarran. Their dedication and tireless work towards the tour was greatly appreciated by the group.

Shaun Choon 12 FG