Today is the last day of our journey. We originally planned to visit the Han Yangling Museum in the morning, but plans often fail to keep up with changing circumstances. Our scheduled flight this afternoon was suddenly canceled due to weather conditions. Fortunately, with the full assistance of the school supervisor and board of directors, as well as the coordination of the principal, teachers and travel agency staff, we were able to overcome the challenge, successfully rearrange the flights and complete all the necessary arrangements, allowing all the teachers and students to return home as scheduled.
Although we end this trip to Xi'an with a sense of unfinished business, from the focused attitudes of the students during each visit, their active participation in the nightly group reflections, and their diligent completion of the pre-trip preparation, it is clear that the students have all gained and grown from this journey. We look forward to the students continuing their efforts and expanding their horizons even further after this trip!
The itinerary has quickly arrived at the fourth day. In the morning, we ascended the Fortifications of Xi'an, experiencing the majestic and expansive ancient architecture with a history of over 600 years, and overlooking the panoramic view of the city of Xi'an.
Afterwards, we proceeded to the nearby Shaanxi Intangible Cultural Heritage Characteristic Street Area - Yongxing Fang. The students were able to experience the local folk activities and savor various specialty foods of the Guanzhong region, which greatly broadened their horizons.
After lunch, we moved to the Yisusi Cultural Street Area. Yisusi is a distinctive cultural district that integrates the performance and exhibition of Qin opera art, museum displays, and the inheritance of traditional opera education. The students had the opportunity to appreciate the traditional shadow puppet art, Qin opera performances, and string puppet shows. They also personally tried their hand at these traditional crafts under the guidance of the master artisans, and later participated in a traditional rubbing workshop, creating their own patterns.
Lastly, we also visited the 1980s-themed street area within the Yisusi Cultural Street District, immersing ourselves in the nostalgic atmosphere of Xi'an from that era. The students showed great interest in the old days of Xi'an and were reluctant to leave even until the end.
Today we arrived at the most exciting part of our trip. In the morning, we first visited the Banpo Site Museum, learning about the social culture of the matriarchal clan over 6,000 years ago. The students gained an understanding of the lifestyle of the Banpo people, and also deepened their knowledge of the long-standing Chinese culture.
In the afternoon, we set off to the Terracotta Warriors Museum. The students were finally able to admire up close one of the wonders of the world - the majestic and solemn Terracotta Warriors. They not only gained a deeper understanding of Qin dynasty history, but also felt proud of China's impressive historical culture.
Immediately afterwards, we also went to the workshop near the Terracotta Warriors and personally made our own Terracotta Warriors. The students were extremely focused and diligent in their creative work!
And as today is Father's Day, the tour guide thoughtfully arranged a large cake to wish all the male teachers a happy Father's Day, which was very considerate.
We first visited the Shaanxi Natural History Museum in the morning . At the museum, the children were able to closely observe numerous precious animal specimens and prehistoric fossils, including state-protected animals from the Qinling Mountains. The children also learned about the geography of northwestern China and experienced the life of coal miners.
Afterwards, we set out to the Muslim Quarter and the Bell and Drum Tower Square. At the Muslim Quarter, the students experienced the culture and delicious local snacks of the Hui people. In the afternoon, we visited the Shaanxi History Museum, walked by the Small Wild Goose Pagoda, and admired the rich cultural relics of this millennium-old city, including the famous Tang Dynasty tri-color glazed pottery horses.
In the evening, we went to the Big Wild Goose Pagoda Square. In addition to appreciating the Great Wild Goose Pagoda, we also put on Han dynasty-style clothing and experienced the splendor of the "Chang'an never sleeps" scene. A group of "talented scholars and beautiful ladies" blended into the scene, as if we had traveled back to the Tang Dynasty.
Although the weather was not pleasant today, our itinerary was delayed as a result, but the students were still able to find joy in the midst of the gloom, and waited patiently for the journey to unfold.
Upon arrival, under the detailed and rich guidance of our tour guide, we first experienced the local scenery and specialty cuisine along the way. All the students were full of interest and enjoyed the new culinary culture.
Later, we arrived at the Lan Hai Feng Wan Bang Bookstore, which is the largest and most trendy arts and literature creation hub in Xi'an. The students not only appreciated the stunning and magnificent architectural style, but also found the "Golden House" and gained a lot.
