Chinese Bridge Trip to Tianjin Normal University
Ten Lewis and Clark students immersed themselves in both language and culture at Tianjin Normal University, organized by Dr. Meiru Liu, LC Chinese Instructor.This fully funded trip by TNU provided unique opportunities for students and strengthened the bond between Oregon and Tianjin, a long-standing sister state-municipality partnership.
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Ten LC students spent two weeks in China with LC Chinese Instructor Dr. Meiru Liu through “The Chinese Bridge Program,” which provided intensive language and cultural lessons at Tianjin Normal University. Workshops and field trips provided first hand experience of Chinese traditions, modern life, and local communities. Highlights included: calligraphy lessons, music and voice lessons with a renowned soprano expert, interactive arts and crafts classes, Tai Chi and martial arts lessons, and sampling local Tianjin delicacies. Students visited the Tianjin Museum, Ancient Culture Street, Heping Road, Golden Street, Haihe Park, and took a river cruise on the Haihe River.
The program included a three-day excursion to Beijing where students explored historical sites and iconic landmarks such as: the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace, the Temple of Heaven, Beijing Confucian Temple and the Imperial College, Jingshan Park, Wangfujing Street and the Wangfujing Pedestrian Shopping Center, Front Gate (Qianmen, old Beijing’s iconic landmark), Dashilar ( Dashilar, the old cultural center of Beijing), an exciting bus tour of the Olympic Park in Beijing, a landmark site that hosted the 2008 Summer Olympics, and the Hongqiao Pearl Market. This cultural immersion provided students with a deeper understanding of China’s history and its global significance.
During their stay, students learned about the strong ties between Tianjin and Oregon, sister states and municipalities, which have developed cultural, educational, business, and social connections over the past decade. The trip highlighted these partnerships, allowing students to experience firsthand how international relationships foster cooperation and mutual understanding.
This Chinese Bridge Program proved a success, providing students with both academic growth and valuable cross-cultural experience. Future opportunities to strengthen the bonds between Oregon and Tianjin, and between the United States and China, are highly anticipated! Contact Dr. Meiru Liu for the next program at liu@lclark.edu
