In order to improve the influence of Taizhou Hehe Culture and bring Taizhou Hehe Culture Research Base into full play, Taizhou University International Students Research Base was listed on June 2nd, and the launching ceremony of Hehe Culture International Research Trip was also held in Zongyuan Academy, Pingqiao Town, Tiantai County. Forty-four international students from more than 10 countries, including Uzbekistan and Bangladesh, gathered together for a three-day exploration trip for Hehe culture. Present at the event were Wang Zheng (member of CPC Committee and vice president of Taizhou University), main leaders of the Publicity Department of Taizhou Municipal Party Committee, the Municipal Foreign Affairs Office, Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television, Tourism and Sports, the Municipal Social Science Federation, and Tiantai County CPC Committee, Wang Aiqin and Gong Shasha (deputy director of International Exchange & Cooperation Department and vice dean of International School of Taizhou University).
At the ceremony, Lu Yimin, chairman of the CPPCC of Tiantai County, extended a warm welcome to the leaders and guests present on behalf of the four teams of the county. He said that Tiantai County has been established for more than 1,800 years and is known as "the source of Buddhism and Taoism, and beautiful landscapes". Tiantai Mountain is one of the ten most famous mountains in China. Thousands of years ago, more than 300 poets in the Tang Dynasty came here, leaving more than 1,300 magnificent poems, and achieved the tale of "one Tiantai mountain, half of the Tang poetry". It is hoped that this activity can turn the advantages of Tiantai County's long history, culture and natural landscapes into a driving force for international communication, so that Tiantai will become an important window for international friends to know Taizhou and China, and better serve national foreign publicity.
Li Qianyong, member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Tiantai County Committee and head of the Publicity Department, announced the route of this research trip. Zhang Chen, a Grade 19 international student from the School of Electronics and Information Engineering at Taizhou university, delivered a speech as the research activity’s 1st batch student representative, and expressed his understanding and compliment to Hehe Culture.
Wang Zheng awarded Taizhou University International Students Research Base to Hehe Cultural Park, and pressed the button in the countdown with the leaders present to jointly start the international research trip of Hehe Culture.
From June 2nd to 4th, the study group visited Longxi Colorful Garden Research Base, Hanshanzi’s Seclusion—Hanyan Cave, Zhangsi Village—the Ming and Qing Architectural Museum of Hehe Culture, Tiantai Mountain Waterfall, Hehe Cultural Park and Guoqing Temple. Students also participated in such intangible cultural activities and traditional skills learning activities as Hanshan Poetry Gathering, Immersive Tea Party, Yijin Sutra Cultivation in Tongbai Palace, Hehe Culture traditional wedding performance, Hehe dough modelling and Hehe mortise-tenon lock. Marvelling at the cultural inheritance and implied meaning of Hehe culture, and admiring the famous Guoqing Temple with a history of over a thousand years, the international students have gained a preliminary understanding of Tiantai tourism development and food culture, and also a deeper understanding of the ideological connotation of the Hehe culture featured by "mutual love and non-aggression, benevolence and good neighbors, most-valued harmony, and harmony in difference" and the poetic dwelling of Hehe Tiantai.
At the end of the event, an exchange meeting was held in the People's Government of Baihe Town, Tiantai County. The international students shared what they saw and thought during their research trips.
Among them, Li Yuan, a student from Botswana, said, "From the ancient streets and buildings, to the highly attractive food and cultural stories, this trip is full of cultural atmosphere. In my opinion, it is the strong cultural heritage and wise philosophy of life that makes China the country with the longest history. Tiantai Hehe culture is one of the important ideological representatives. China adheres to peaceful development and harmonious coexistence, fully respects the status of other countries, provides economic and technical assistance to many countries, and has made great contributions to maintaining world peace and promoting world prosperity."
Kalin, a Nigerian student, shared, "China is committed to creating an atmosphere of harmonious integration between ancient and modern civilizations, actively promoting the inheritance and protection of traditional cultures, and setting a good example for countries around the world. It is a beautiful and unforgettable experience to travel and explore with classmates from different countries, races and ethnicities, and take care of each other, which also symbolizes our unity."
Kazar, an Iranian student majoring in Chinese language and literature, was on her first research trip since she arrived at school. “When I was a child, I watched an animated film about the Silk Road and became interested in Chinese culture," she said. “My family came to China to live and work, so I also had the chance to come to China to learn Chinese culture. I really like the dialogue between Hanshanzi and Shi De, which shows the wise and powerful Chinese philosophy, and it will be a good guide for my future study and life."
This research trip is of great significance due to its richness in both itinerary and content. It not only helps international students to understand the spirit of Taizhou Hehe Culture and appreciate the natural charms of Taizhou’s mountains and seas, but also is conducive to their understanding of the long-standing cultural heritage and humanistic foundation of Taizhou. In addition, the trip will have a positive impact in promoting Taizhou Hehe Culture to the world, and enhancing international students’ mutual understanding and progress through cultural exchanges.
