Together with Wah Yan College Hong Kong,we also welcomed students and faculty from Wah Yan College Kowloon through TBC’s ChinaContact program. Their cultural and educational journey began with visits to Tsinghua University and Peking University, fostering deeper ties with these leading mainland Chinese institutions. They also explored the Ancient Observatory, marveling at the intricate large-scale bronze astronomical instruments, primarily designed by Belgian missionary Ferdinand Verbiest. This visit provided those students with insight into the pivotal role played by Verbiest and other Western missionaries in the introduction of modern science and technology to China.
Additionally, TBC Executive Director, who also is an alumnus of Wah Yan College Kowloon, Simon Koo, guided the group through TBC’s collection of ancient books and precious collections left by Western missionaries. This immersive experience enhanced students’understanding of the significant contributions of historical scholars in facilitating cultural exchanges between China and the West.
The visit to the Chinese Archaeology Museum also left an indelible impression on the group. Through an immersive exploration of ancient historical settings, the students and faculty admired over 6,000 precious artifacts spanning from the Paleolithic Age to modern times, and experienced the innovative integration of technology—such as naked-eye 3D and scene simulation—with history. This experience further deepened their comprehension of traditional Chinese culture, bridging past and present.
The past few weekends have been some of the most exciting of the entire semester, full of trips to the zoo, mountain hikes, ancient parks, and more! Our first trip out of many was a visit to the Beijing Zoo. I had mentioned earlier in the semester that I wanted to see some pandas, since I was in China after all, and our TBC friend Andy made it happen.
Spending a whole semester in Beijing, I knew I had to make the trip down south and check out Shanghai, and the city certainly lived up to the expectations. Everyone describes Shanghai as this super futuristic metropolis, and after spending a weekend there I understand why it has this reputation.