The 2026 Chinese Bridge Summer Camp concluded recently in Hunan, according to Changsha University of Science and Technology (CSUST) on August 19. The event was organized by the Center for Language Education and Cooperation under China's Ministry of Education and was undertaken by the university.

During the 14-day trip, 31 campers from the Confucius Institute at Universiti Malaysia Sabah and the Confucius Institute at the University of Montenegro visited Changsha, Liling in Zhuzhou City, Zhangjiajie, and Fenghuang Ancient Town in the Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, among other places. Through field visits and cultural studies, they experienced the unique charm of Hunan culture and gained a true, multi-dimensional and panoramic view of modern China.

Group photo of campers participating in the 2026 Chinese Bridge Summer Camp. (Photo provided by CSUST)

The theme of this summer camp was "conducting field visits to explore Hunan culture." During the study tour, the campers traveled by high-speed train to experience firsthand the achievements of China's infrastructure development. They visited the Hunan Museum to explore the province's thousand-year-old history. At the century-old Jiuzhitang Company, a time-honored brand, they experienced traditional Chinese medicine culture and made herbal sachets and sour plum tea. They also toured a tea museum to learn about Chinese tea culture and tea-making techniques, and the Liling Ceramics Museum to appreciate the craftsmanship of the "Porcelain City" and the unique artistic charm of underglaze five-colored porcelain. Later, they immersed themselves in Zhangjiajie's spectacular peaks and pristine waters to enjoy scenic beauty and ecological conservation achievements. At Fenghuang Ancient Town in Xiangxi, they explored Ming- and Qing-style architecture and the intangible cultural heritage tradition of batik, experiencing unique local customs.

The two-week field trip also allowed participants to deepen their understanding through learning together with their peers and also to forge deep friendships.

Alisa Bogdanović from the Confucius Institute at the University of Montenegro shared her thoughts. "I once held the trophy as the final champion of the 18th 'Chinese Bridge' Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign Secondary School Students, but that was on the competition stage. It wasn't until I joined the Chinese Bridge Summer Camp that I truly 'immersed' myself in the daily use of Chinese." Alisa said that she was not just learning Chinese, but using Chinese to make friends, ask for directions, and touch people's hearts.

Campers learn about Chinese tea culture and tea-making techniques. (Photo provided by CSUST)

Several representatives said that from their first experience of China's rapid high-speed rail to their deepening appreciation of the unique charm of Hunan's culture and natural scenery along the way, the 14-day study tour not only broadened their horizons but also deepened their understanding of Chinese language learning.

A spokesperson for CSUST noted that the successful hosting of this summer camp showcased the unique appeal and charm of Hunan culture and further deepened mutual understanding among young people from home and abroad.

This article is from Hunan Provincial Government. www.enghunan.gov.cn.

Translator: Xiao Juan

Chinese source: Chinanews