From July 12 to 14, students of the 2025 "Discover Jiangsu" International Summer School embarked on an immersive study tour themed around Grand Canal commerce and culture. Traveling through the Jiangnan cities of Wuxi, Yangzhou, and Suzhou, they deepened their understanding of history through firsthand experience and strengthened their perspectives through cross-cultural dialogue.
The journey began with an intellectual exchange. On the morning of July 12, Chinese and international students engaged in “retrospective” group discussions based on six prior lectures covering topics such as “Capital Flow and the Grand Canal,” “Wuxi Brand Culture,” and “A Journey Along the Canal.” Drawing from their own reflections, students shared insights and takeaways. Hajar Mansour from Tilburg University (Netherlands) noted that the lectures gave her the first systematic understanding of how the Grand Canal contributed to the formation of modern financial systems; Fleur Rennie Jackson from Deakin University (Australia) expressed strong interest in the case studies on revitalizing time-honored Chinese brands.
The group also visited Huallywood Film Industry Park, moving between a Republic of China–style old street and high-tech film studios. Standing on a motion-capture platform at the Film Technology Experience Hall, students experimented with real-time animation, and later observed how LED virtual production enables instant scene changes. MBA/MEM alumni used The Wandering Earth film series as a case study to explain how digital technology amplifies the cultural narrative embedded in Jiangnan’s industrial heritage, bringing stories of Canal-era commerce from historical texts to the big screen. Students were able to experience the warmth of the film-stock era while feeling the impact of digital innovation, enriching their understanding of brand renewal and urban IP development.
The second part of the tour focused on the historic city of Yangzhou. Students first visited Geyuan Garden—one of the four most famous classical gardens in China. Guided by professional narrators, they explored the iconic rockeries representing the four seasons, Baoshan Tower, Qingyi Pavilion, and other landmarks. The refined Taihu stones and ingenious layout offered a vivid appreciation of the Jiangnan gardening philosophy: “crafted by human hands, yet resembling nature itself.” Students also learned about the profound influence of Yangzhou’s salt merchant culture. In the afternoon, the group toured the China Grand Canal Museum, exploring exhibitions such as “The Grand Canal—China’s World Cultural Heritage” and the immersive digital installation “A Love Song of the River.” Through cultural relics, models, and multimedia displays, students gained a comprehensive understanding of the canal’s engineering achievements, grain-transport system, and far-reaching economic and cultural impact. The visit also incorporated local lifestyle experiences: strolling down Dongguan Street and sampling local specialties like crab roe soup dumplings and jade-colored steamed dim sum, students enjoyed the charm of Yangzhou’s leisurely “morning tea culture.”
The final stop was Suzhou, often celebrated as “Heaven on Earth.” Students toured the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Humble Administrator’s Garden, learning about its name, architectural layout, and historical anecdotes. Iconic scenes such as the Hall of Distant Fragrance, the Pavilion for Viewing Mountains, and the Little Flying Rainbow deepened their appreciation of Suzhou’s philosophy of creating vast imaginative space within compact garden settings. They then walked along Pingjiang Road, an ancient riverside street embodying Suzhou’s unique dual-grid pattern of “parallel waterways and streets.” With whitewashed walls, stone bridges, flowing canals, and vibrant creative shops interwoven throughout the landscape, students eagerly captured the fusion of old and new through their lenses. The tour concluded at the 302-meter-tall Gate of the Orient by Jinji Lake. Drawing inspiration from the moon-gate motif of classical gardens, the building integrates Suzhou’s refined elegance with modern urban dynamism. From the 53rd-floor sky corridor, students enjoyed a panoramic contrast: on one side, the ancient canal route and historic waterways; on the other, the gleaming skyscrapers of the Suzhou Industrial Park. Cameras clicked continuously as they documented this breathtaking alignment of tradition and modernity—an unforgettable finale to the journey.
Over the course of the three-day “mobile classroom,” students from China and abroad walked through Jiangnan’s historic cities, traced the commercial threads of Grand Canal culture, and documented local life through their own perspectives. The program not only provided rich material for their upcoming research projects but also fostered intercultural friendship and a deeper appreciation of Jiangsu’s profound heritage and vibrant contemporary vitality.
Discussion in Class
Visiting Wuxi Museum
Visiting Huallywood Industrial Park
Visiting Yangzhou
Visiting Suzhou
Current location:
Home
>
College News
>
Content
College News
