From March 15th to 21st, a delegation of 17 faculty and students from the University of Puget Sound (UPS) in the United States was invited to visit our college, embarking on a seven-day immersive cultural exchange journey. This marks the sixth visit of UPS faculty and students to our college. The visit responds to President Xi Jinping's initiative to invite 50,000 young Americans to China on exchange and study programs in the next five years, and puts into practice the important statement that the hope of China-U.S. relations lies in the people, its foundation is in our societies, its future depends on the youth, and its vitality comes from exchanges at subnational levels. Leveraging its unique educational features and the cultural advantages of Fujian's local heritage, our college meticulously planned a series of activities, including campus cultural experiences, regional cultural explorations, and traditional craft practices. Using culture as a bridge, we aimed to foster exchanges between Chinese and American youth and enhance mutual friendship and trust.
During the exchange, the American guests visited the former site of Hwa Nan College for Women, listening to stories of the college's century-long educational history and its heritage of women's education, and experiencing its profound cultural heritage.
Through the Liberal Arts Class, our college organized a variety of traditional cultural experience activities. The American students immersed themselves in Zanhua headdress, Fuzhou's Three Hairpins folk custom, wearing Hanfu and Qipao to appreciate Chinese clothing aesthetics, practicing calligraphy, and making lacquer fans and Chinese knots. They also learned about tea ceremonies and Diancha (whisked tea), Guqin playing, flower arranging art, and participated in Chinese language classes and Baduanjin (Eight-Section Brocade) exercises.
Coinciding with the Fuzhou Aojiu Festival, the college prepared Aojiu porridge for the visiting students and explained the festival's cultural significance of respecting the elderly and practicing filial piety, allowing them to experience the warmth of Fuzhou's traditional culture both on their palates and in their hearts.
Venturing beyond the campus, the American students and teachers explored the cities of Fuzhou and Zhangzhou, experiencing the charm of Fujian's culture. At the Three Lanes and Seven Alleys in Fuzhou, they strolled along the bluestone paths, visited century-old buildings, and listened to anecdotes about famous figures and stories of intangible cultural heritage. In Nanjing Tulou and Yunshuiyao in Zhangzhou, they experienced the architectural wisdom of the Hakka people, the beauty of rural nature, and cultural preservation.
At Kuliang, they visited the post office, old family residences, the International Welfare Society, and other sites, listening to century-old stories of Sino-foreign friendship through historical artifacts and narratives. On this occasion, Vice President Wu Lanjia, representing the college, presented the 2026 Gordon Trimble Award and the 31st Anniversary Memorial Award for Kuliang Culture International Communication to the University of Puget Sound. She emphasized that youth cultural exchange is the best way to build bridges of friendship and establish mutual trust. Professor Karl Fields of the University of Puget Sound highly commended the contributions of Mr. and Mrs. Gordon and Sonia Trimble to Sino-American people-to-people friendship and expressed sincere gratitude for the college's meticulous organization and thoughtful arrangements.
During this exchange, our college selected students to pair up with American students as study tour buddies. Through spending time together, helping and learning from each other, and exchanging ideas, they forged deep cross-ocean friendships. American students Izzy Jones and Freya O'Connell expressed that this trip to Hwa Nan was a precious and unforgettable experience. Not only did they experience the richness of Chinese culture, but they also gained sincere friendships and expressed deep gratitude for the warm reception and thoughtful arrangements by the college's faculty and students.
As a regular international exchange activity of our college, this visit marks the sixth cross-ocean gathering between the two institutions. Our college has always attached great importance to international cultural exchange work, continuously featuring open education and deepening cooperation with international friendly universities such as the University of Puget Sound. In the future, the college will continue to enrich exchange formats, expand the connotation of exchanges, and use culture as a bridge to promote mutual understanding and closeness between Chinese and American youth. We will contribute the strength of Hwa Nan to promoting people-to-people friendship between China and the United States and continuing the story of friendship between the Chinese and American people.