From June 26 to July 1, 2025, twenty teachers and students from our school visited our sister school, Guangxi Yangshuo High School, for an exchange activity themed around sustainable development.
Upon arriving in Yangshuo via high-speed rail, the teachers and students first visited the scenic area of Yangshuo's Shiwai Taoyuan (“Paradise on Earth”). Afterwards, everyone attended the internationally renowned large-scale performance, 'Impression Liu Sanjie,' and was captivated by the splendid show.
On the day of the school visit, the teachers and students felt the warm hospitality of their counterparts. The students and teachers at Yangshuo High School not only arranged classroom observations but also invited everyone to experience dining in their canteen. The teachers and students had deep exchanges and established intimate friendships.
The focus of this trip was to examine the actual implementation of rural sustainable development. On the third day, students from our school and Yangshuo formed teams to visit farming households in Dahebei Village, Xing Ping Town, to learn about local organic farming practices. According to the farmers, early severe pest issues led to a sharp decline in harvests, but after several years of ecological balance adjustments, the costs of organic farming are now lower than traditional methods. Later, teachers and students collaborated with rural children to create stone paintings and participated in a cooking activity by the Li (Jiang) River, where they experienced the most primitive cooking method—skewering meat with bamboo sticks and grilling it over charcoal, as well as washing dishes with husks. Through this series of nature-engaging activities, the students not only felt the charm of Yangshuo's landscape but also practiced the concept of sustainable development, truly embodying the unity of knowledge and action.
In the last two days of the trip, the teachers and students not only climbed Ruyi Peak to appreciate the grandeur of the karst landscape from above but were also fortunate to delve into Longsheng Village, enjoying the visual feast of the Longji Rice Terraces. In Dazhai Village, Longsheng, the teachers and students witnessed a traditional wedding ceremony of the Red Yao ethnic group and participated in a local wedding banquet, personally experiencing the local cultural customs. Students also conducted surveys with local residents and learned that while the increase in tourists can improve farmers' livelihoods, measures for waste sorting and other environmental protections still need to be improved. This deepened their understanding of how to balance tourism development, cultural heritage, and environmental protection.
Throughout this trip, the teachers and students experienced the magnificent landscapes of the motherland, personally witnessed the achievements of the country's rural revitalization, deepened their understanding of sustainable development, and enhanced their understanding of rural development, education policies, and cultural customs in the mainland.
