From January 16th to 22nd, 2017, five international students of Jilin University had the honor to participate in the “Chinese and Foreign Journalists’ Trip in Jilin”, an intensive interview activity also known as the 2017 International Friends’ Exploration of Jilin. The activity was hosted by the Information Office of the People’s Government, the Education Department and Tourism Bureau of Jilin Province, and it was organized by All-China Journalists’ Association, China Radio International, China International Publishing Group and cnjiwang.com.
During the one-week activity, the students visited Jingyue Snow World, Jingyuetan Ski Resort, Jilin Rime Island, Dunhua Snow Park and Changbai Mountain International Ice and Snow Carnival, through which they experienced the ice and snow resources and culture peculiar to Jilin Province. The international students also visited Changchun Winter Agricultural Expo/ Jingyuetan Spring Festival Fair, Middle-North Market Fair, Spring Festival Fair of Wulajie Old Town in Jilin city and Spring Festival Fair of Dunhua city. They also experienced the ritual of killing pigs, steaming buns stuffed with sweetened bean paste and putting on pictures and couplets, all of which were preparations for the Spring Festival. Thus the international students learned about the Spring Festival customs unique to Jilin Province and the festive atmosphere.
International students who joined this exploration said that this trip was a unique opportunity for them to experience the beauty of Jilin Province and deepened their understanding of traditional Chinese culture. They could not only see, listen and feel, but also do things and experience things by themselves. Via this rare opportunity, they were impressed by China, a great multi-ethnicity country with diverse cultures. That they were received kindly wherever they went highlighted the hospitality and friendliness of Chinese people. They wanted to have more such opportunities to better understand Chinese culture.
