In August 2025, the theme activity of "Perceiving China - Exploring the Ancient Capital, Seeing Today's China" organized by Jilin Agricultural University was successfully launched. Eighteen international students from 10 countries, including Pakistan, Nigeria, and Egypt, formed a practice group with Chinese volunteers to enter Xi'an, the thousand-year-old ancient capital, and started an in-depth exploration around three themes: agricultural innovation and development, modern manufacturing upgrading, and historical and cultural inheritance.
This event aims to help international students deeply integrate what they have learned in the classroom with the real development of China through the model of "field experience + cultural immersion", and build a bridge of understanding across cultures.
Theme 1: Walking into the fields and villages to decode the "science and technology and revitalization" of China's agriculture
At the first stop of practice, international students went deep into the front line of China's rural revitalization and modern agricultural science and technology.
In Yuanjia Village, known as the "first village of Guanzhong folk customs", international students inspected the integrated development model of "folk culture + rural tourism + characteristic agriculture" - from the inheritance of intangible cultural heritage skills in handicraft workshops, to the planting of organic crops in ecological farms, and then to the real income growth of villagers, a vivid picture of China's rural revitalization strategy slowly unfolded in front of everyone's eyes.
"Yuanjia Village has shown me that 'the countryside is not synonymous with backwardness'," said an international student from Nigeria, "By excavating local characteristics and protecting cultural roots, rural areas can also achieve economic prosperity." I want to bring this idea of 'revitalizing villages with characteristic industries' back to the motherland and help my hometown develop as beautiful and rich as Yuanjia Village." ”
Subsequently, the practice group walked into the Yangling High-tech Agricultural Demonstration Industrial Park, focusing on learning the "scientific and technological code" of China's modern agriculture: the precise environmental control of intelligent greenhouses, the large-scale application of UAV plant protection, water-saving irrigation and cutting-edge crop breeding technology, which made the agricultural students excited. They carefully recorded technical parameters, actively communicated with experts in the park, and explored the possibility of transforming "China's agricultural experience" into "domestic development practice".
Theme 2: Visit the intelligent manufacturing factory and feel the speed and wisdom of "Made in China"
From the field to the modern factory, the practice group felt China's solid steps from a "manufacturing power" to a "manufacturing power" at Geely Automobile's Xi'an manufacturing base at Geely Automobile's manufacturing base.
In the highly automated final assembly workshop, the robotic arm is precisely waved, the intelligent system is seamlessly scheduled, and a new car rolls off the assembly line every two minutes on average - this efficient and intelligent production scene shocked international students.
"I have only heard of China's developed manufacturing industry before, but today I have seen the 'collaborative operation' of robots and workers to truly understand the power of 'scientific and technological innovation'," said Amin, an international student from Pakistan. ”
Theme 3: Dialogue with a thousand-year-old civilization and explore the roots and tolerance of Chinese culture
As a world famous historical and cultural city, Xi'an provides a unique place for international students to explore the origins of Chinese civilization. The practice group was at the Xi'an Museum, along the historical context, to feel the profound heritage of Chinese culture.
"These cultural relics are not cold exhibits, but living historical stories." Isaac, an international student from Tanzania, excitedly shared, "I want to bring these 'keys' back to my motherland and tell them to my family and friends, so that more people can understand China's long history and unique cultural charm." ”
Conclusion: Build a bridge of mutual learning among civilizations and cultivate talents with global vision
This trip to Xi'an is a microcosm of the series of social practice and cultural experience activities of "Perceiving China". It successfully transforms the "China" in books into a vivid practice that can be touched, perceived, and interacted with.
International students not only deepened their understanding of Chinese history and contemporary development, but also built bridges of friendship through exchanges with Chinese youth volunteers and peer experts.
