From May 25 to June 27, 2025, 307 teachers and students from seven U.S. states—Massachusetts, Utah, Florida, Alabama, California, Pennsylvania, and Texas—visited Jiangsu in groups to take part in the "Discover Jiangsu- American Youth Exchange Program". The itinerary included campus visits, sports exchanges, intangible cultural heritage experiences, university lectures, and tours of high-tech enterprises. From the ancient charm of Nanjing to the landscapes of Liangxi, from the central crossroads of five provinces to the historic town of Longcheng, from the water towns of Jiangnan to the coastal scenery of Chongchuan, from the Yandu wetlands to the vinegar town ferries, the group experienced Jiangsu's unique charm: a province rich in culture, advanced in science and education, economically dynamic, and ecologically beautiful.

Nanjing: Echoes of Six Dynasties Amid June’s Misty Rain

For American students and teachers who had never experienced the East Asian rainy season, the interplay of sunshine and thunderstorms in Nanjing left a deep impression. The hot weather ignited their athletic enthusiasm. During school visits, basketball games were held in full swing—three-pointers swooshed through the net, drawing waves of cheers. Chinese and American students held dragon heads and tails, moving in perfect rhythm to the beat of drums as they performed a figure-eight dragon dance. Through pair activities, they explored traditional crafts—rubbings, tie-dye, bamboo weaving, calligraphy, and Chinese knotting—blending the allure of tradition with the vigor of youth and friendship. From the top of Yuejiang Tower, they beheld the Yangtze River surging into the distance and admired the harmonious cityscape below. Strolling through the Confucius Temple area, they felt the cultural pulse of the Six Dynasties embedded in the Qinhuai River landscape. In the bamboo groves of Hongshan, they paused in silence to watch a national treasure—a snoozing animal curled like a cloud.

High School Affiliated to Nanjing Normal University — China-U.S. Students Perform Dragon Dance in Pairs

Nanjing Foreign Language School ( South New Town Campus) — China-U.S. Basketball Friendship Game

Nanjing Foreign Language School Yuhua International Academy — Tie-Dye Workshop

Nanjing No. 9 Middle School — China-U.S. Basketball Friendship Game

Nanjing Yuhuatai High School — Student Exchange Activities

Wuxi: A Dream of the Three Kingdoms and Water Margin in the Canal Town

The group from Utah wandered through Dangkou Ancient Town and along the ancient canal near Qingming Bridge, immersed in the misty and elegant charm of the historic water town. They explored the film and television base themed on the Three Kingdoms and Water Margin, witnessing vivid re-creations of classic Chinese historical tales. The school classrooms transformed into a cultural fair, where students engaged in activities such as cloisonné enameling, traditional opera appreciation, water-themed paper-cutting, painting floral round fans, making zongzi for the Dragon Boat Festival, and practicing Yin-yang style Tai Chi. Through every motion and stillness, gesture and form, the American students experienced the modern vitality of China's intangible cultural heritage and traditional culture.

Jiangnan University — Hanfu Costume Experience

Xuzhou: Savoring the Han Legacy Amid the Veins of Stone

On their first evening in Xuzhou, the Massachusetts delegation couldn't resist joining a plaza dance, immersing themselves in the rhythm of local community life. On Yunlong Mountain, by the shores of Yunlong Lake, and within the city's museums, the elegance of the Western Han Dynasty blended with picturesque landscapes, revealing the city's harmonious integration of culture and ecology. At Xuzhou No. 1 High School, the U.S. students practiced the full set of "Ba Duan Jin" (Eight-Section Brocade), experiencing the stillness within movement and the balance of softness and strength found in Tai Chi. During their visit to China University of Mining and Technology, two international students led interactive lectures, accompanied by exhibitions of rare geological specimens in the university's museum. This allowed the American delegation to gain deeper insight into Xuzhou's rapid industrial growth, its indulgent food culture, and the hearty, bold personality of its people.

Xuzhou No. 1 High School — Practicing “Ba Duan Jin” (Eight-Section Brocade)

Changzhou: Sensing the Essence of the Dragon Boat Festival Through Dragon Boat Racing

The delegation from Northern California listened to the story of Liyang’s ecological civilization as they gazed across the emerald waters of Tianmu Lake, surrounded by verdant hills and serene nature. During their visits to Liyang High School and Hengjian Primary School coinciding with the Dragon Boat Festival, the air was filled with the fragrant aroma of zongzi and mugwort leaves.The spirited dragon boat races and ink-dyed paper fan painting symbolized the growing friendship and shared passion between the Chinese and American youths. As they strolled through Tianning Temple, students and teachers from both nations experienced the warmth and authenticity of grassroots cultural heritage. At Qingguo Alley, the Red Box Theatre, and the city’s cultural plaza, they uncovered the urban trends and cultural dynamics that define modern-day Changzhou.

Visit to Liyang Hengjian Primary School

Liyang Hengjian Primary School — Painting Traditional Ink-Dyed Fans

Liyang High School Jiangsu Province— Land-Based Dragon Boat Race Experience

Nantong: Literary and Artistic Encounters at the Riverside

A group of teachers and students from Pennsylvania "broke the ice" and made friends amid the Flower Drum music in Bingcha Ancient Town, listened to the voice of a master at the Fan Zeng Art Museum of Nantong University, and experienced the "artistic vibe" of Nantong; they collected clams on the tidal flats, enjoyed a night cruise on Hao River watching the dance of water reflections, walked along the Wolf Mountain Riverside Scenic Belt, and personally experienced the "endless night" life atmosphere of Chongchuan; during visits to enterprises in the Development Zone, they discovered the "sense of technology" and "future feeling" beyond Nantong's ancient simplicity. At Huili School, masters hand-in-hand with teachers and students wove lively grasshoppers; inside Nantong Secondary Vocational School of Tourism, art teachers imparted flower arrangement skills culminating in a stunning final display.

Nantong Secondary Vocational School of Tourism— Experiencing Flower Arrangement

Huili School Nantong — Learning Bamboo Weaving

Jiangsu Yancheng Middle School — Creating Traditional Chinese Paper Cuttings

Yancheng Institute of Technology — Observing Mustang Formula Racing Team Training

Zhenjiang: The Scent of Everyday Life Between Vinegar and Tea

The Vinegar Culture Museum, the Stele Forest Stone Carvings of Jiaoshan, the Pearl S. Buck Memorial Hall, and Xijin Ferry Ancient Street connected teachers and students from Alabama and Florida to the profound historical memory of Zhenjiang. In the "folk classrooms" at Chongshi Girls' High School and Jurong Senior High School of Jiangsu Province, American youth were captivated by lantern making and touhu (pitch-pot) games; the agricultural tourism experience of tea picking, tea making, and peach tasting allowed the teachers and students to feel the vigorous development of modern agriculture in Zhenjiang through every bite and sip.

Jurong Senior High School of Jiangsu Province — Lantern Making

Zhenjiang Chongshi Girls' High School — Campus Visit