Coinciding with the China Tourism Day of May 19th, in order to break down classroom boundaries and deepen cultural dissemination, the College of International Education at Shanghai Business School (SBS), in collaboration with the Xuhui District Cultural Tourism Service and Development Center, organized an immersive city walk study tour for international students. The tour allowed them to step out of the campus, walk along the riverside and through century-old streets and lanes, personally experience the vibrant and diverse urban pulse of Shanghai, and immersively appreciate the gentle, profound, and inclusive unique character of Shanghai style.
Moving beyond textbook theories, the international students took a sightseeing bus along the river, embarking on a pleasant riverside journey. Modern skyscrapers and riverside ecological landscapes interlocked in a beautiful tableau, with the fashionable urban landscape slowly unfolding before them. Every step revealed a new view, showcasing Shanghai's vibrant energy and modern texture.
International students dove into the popular riverside hotspots along Shanghai's waterfront, getting a real feel for both the energy and the soft charm of this global city. "I have always been immersed in classroom learning, learning about Shanghai only from books, yet I have never really taken a good look at this city,” said Umar, an international student from Nigeria, with a mix of emotions. He expressed that while campus life is fulfilling, it is somewhat limiting. This stroll along the Xuhui Riverside allowed him to completely break free from the confines of words and genuinely touch Shanghai's surging and upward urban vitality. It made him truly understand that Shanghai's vibrancy and beauty have always been hidden in the real fabric of the city.
This event specially incorporated an intangible cultural heritage experience. Using the old Shanghai water-brushed stone technique as an entry point, it unlocked an exclusive new Shanghai-style cultural experience for the international students, allowing this ancient craft to step out from the passage of time and gently meet these international youths. In the dedicated intangible cultural heritage skills workshop, the instructors meticulously explained key points and provided hands-on demonstrations. The international students, filled with curiosity and enthusiasm, operated the techniques themselves and patiently polished their work, personally experiencing the charm of this traditional craft unique to old Shanghai architecture. From initial unfamiliarity and nervousness to gradual ease and proficiency, they appreciated the exquisiteness of traditional craftsmanship through hands-on practice and understood the meaning of dedicated craftsmanship through immersive experience.
(Photo: International students trying their hand at the water-brushed stone technique)
(Photo: International students trying their hand at the water-brushed stone technique)
Minh Thu, a Vietnamese international student, deeply reflected on this immersive study tour: "This is a completely different way of learning about culture! In the past, I could only learn about traditional architectural culture from materials. But this time, by touching and experiencing it with my own hands, I truly realized how exquisite and delicate old Shanghai architectural craftsmanship is," she said.
Every brick, every stone, every line, every texture embodies the passage of time, the spirit of craftsmanship passed down through generations, and the endless heritage of Shanghai culture. These cultural traditions became tangible and perceptible for the international students through hands-on experience, allowing them to truly understand Shanghai's profound, warm, and ever-renewing urban cultural fabric.
(Photo: International students showcasing their water-brushed stone works)
(Photo: An international student showcasing her water-brushed stone works)
The final stop of this study tour was the Wukang Building and the surrounding century-old foreign-style villa neighborhood — both iconic landmarks deeply imprinted with Shanghai's urban character. The century-old villas stood quietly in elegant disarray, where trendy urban scenery gently blended with vintage historic architecture. Modern fashion and the tranquility of time merged harmoniously, sketching out a romantic Shanghai style unique to this city, leaving every international student lingering in enchantment.
Strolling through the artistic streets and lanes shaded by plane trees, Anika, an international student from Bangladesh, was deeply moved by the scene before her: "I have never seen such a unique urban landscape. The old buildings carry a profound historical depth. What makes Shanghai so appealing is that it has both trendy new things and yet fully preserves the traces of time."
Wandering through the lively streets and century-old buildings, the international students immersively experienced the retro romance and artistic style of old Shanghai, deeply appreciating the unique Shanghai cultural heritage amidst the texture of time and the rhythm of daily life. "This is not just a relaxing city outing, but also a profound cross-cultural exploration journey,” said Khodzhiev, an international student from Tajikistan, who gained a wealth of experiences during the trip.
(Photo: International students checking in at Shanghai's iconic landmark – the Wukang Building)
During this China Tourism Day themed study tour, the international students strolled through the streets and lanes of Shanghai, enjoyed the scenery along the way, immersively savored the city's deep cultural heritage, and through personal travel, both relaxed their minds and broadened their horizons. Walking between the trendy Xuhui Riverside waterfront and century-old streets, experiencing traditional folk crafts with their own hands, and deeply feeling Shanghai's development and transformation, they truly touched the unique Shanghai charm of this city — open, inclusive, and blending diverse cultures. Through this journey, they came to understand Shanghai and fall in love with Shanghai.
(Photo: International students forming "520" with their hands — a gesture meaning "I love you" — for Shanghai at the Wukang Building)
In the near future, these international students, as ambassadors of cultural exchange, will share vivid and beautiful stories of Shanghai with the world, and also express a heartfelt confession to Shanghai: 520, I love Shanghai!
Written by: Zhang Wen
Photograph by: Anonymous
Reviewed by: Chen Wei
