Second International Study Tour of First Global Chinese Essay Competition Visits Kaifeng

On 23 September, the second international study tour of the 'Walking China, Sustaining Cultural Heritage' First Global Chinese Essay Competition arrived in Kaifeng, Henan Province. A light drizzle lent a gentle poetic charm to this ancient city; under their umbrellas, participants moved through its lanes not merely as tourists but as immersive experiencers of Song-dynasty culture—touching the vibrant bustle of Northern Song urban life at Qingming Riverside Park, and feeling the vivid vitality of Song literary heritage during the live performance *Dongjing Menghua* (Dreams of Splendour in Dongjing).

The moment they entered Qingming Riverside Park, fine rain fell softly and glistened on the bluestone pavements, evoking the atmosphere of Bianliang—the capital of the Northern Song dynasty—over a thousand years ago. On the Rainbow Bridge, a live re-enactment of ‘Bianhe Grain Transport’ unfolded in the rain: boatmen’s rhythmic chants pierced the misty air, mingling with the murmur of water; at the ‘Sun Yang Zhengdian’ teahouse, Song-dynasty attendants delicately demonstrated traditional tea-whisking techniques beneath the eaves, filling the damp air with fragrant steam. In the folk-culture alleys, intricate paper-cutting and exquisite Bian embroidery drew repeated admiration from umbrella-shielded participants. Even the cries of ‘Wu Dalang’s Steamed Buns’ and cheers for ‘Yue Fei Spear-Fighting Xiao Liang Wang’ cut through the rain. The grandeur once captured in the *Qingming Shanghe Tu* (Along the River During the Qingming Festival) scroll now felt vividly real in the rain—offering tangible resonance to the historical description: ‘Kaifeng’s magnificence is unmatched under heaven.’ A student from Melbourne clutched a freshly bought sugar painting, excitedly saying: ‘As raindrops tapped my umbrella and I watched the boatmen haul ropes, I truly felt I was standing on a Song-dynasty bridge—more atmospheric than ever.’

As dusk fell and lanterns glowed, the open-air performance *Dongjing Menghua* began on the lake. Amidst misty vapour, painted pleasure boats drifted gently on the water, accompanied by mellow music. Familiar Song lyrics—including *Yu Meiren* (The Beautiful Lady Yu) and *Yu Lin Ling* (Rain Bell)—came alive in vivid scenes. The clamour of city life, the elegance of imperial court rituals, the bustle of grain transport, and scholars’ poetic recitations merged seamlessly through light, sound and performance. Rain-moistened air brimmed with romantic Song aesthetics. Participants sat quietly by the lakeside, eyes following shifting lights and movements onstage—engaging, it seemed, in a dialogue across a millennium. Their team leader, camera in hand throughout, remarked: ‘Watching this performance in the drizzle is truly special. The humid air seems to amplify the lyrical mood of Song poetry—and seeing the children hum along softly tells me the seeds of culture have already taken root.’

Ms Yang, a parent accompanying the tour, observed her child still reflecting on the performance afterwards, and shared in the parents’ group chat: ‘I’d expected rain might dampen our experience—but instead, the moisture deepened the Song-dynasty atmosphere. My child followed the guide nonstop with questions, and even proactively recorded observations in Chinese. This kind of experience is far more vivid than any textbook.’

From the rain-shrouded, immersive time-travel at Qingming Riverside Park to the audiovisual feast of *Dongjing Menghua* amid lake mist, this rainy-day visit to Kaifeng enabled participants to deeply engage with the texture of Song civilisation. Through immersive experience, the ‘Walking China, Sustaining Cultural Heritage’ study tour rendered a millennium of Song aesthetics vividly present in the drizzle—rooting Chinese language learning firmly in cultural context, and building warm bridges for mutual understanding among civilisations.

(Correspondent: Li Na)

Li Kaizhen