A group of ethnic Chinese students tour around Shanghai from April 7 to 9, seeking their roots, exploring history, embracing modernity and paying homage to their ancestors. [Photo/qwb.sh.gov.cn]

A group of ethnic Chinese students toured around Shanghai from April 7 to 9, seeking their roots, exploring history, embracing modernity and paying homage to their ancestors.

Organized by the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the Shanghai municipal government and the Shanghai Municipal Education Commission, the event was attended by some 30 students studying at Fudan University, Tongji University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, East China Normal University, Shanghai University and the Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Their first stop was a strawberry garden located in the picturesque rural area of Huating town, Jiading district, where they enjoyed themselves doing the physical work of picking and tasting the sweet red berries .

They next delved into more traditional Chinese farming culture at Xuhang Primary School, where they appreciated several national intangible cultural heritages and tried their hands at typical Shanghai-style straw weaving.

At the local martial arts school, the students were treated to a variety of excellent performances, including ones featuring China's "four classical skills" – archery, rituals of daily etiquette, music and calligraphy, winning prolonged applause from the students.

The students gained a better understanding of local foreign-funded enterprises at Roche Diagnostics, a Swiss-based medical company with its Chinese branch headquartered in Shanghai. They exchanged ideas with several senior managers, gaining insights into youth career development planning.

The students took in the splendid riverside views in Xuhui district, appreciating the integration of the city's ample water systems and grass belt and their related culture.

While at the national science center of the Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility project, a key research and technology development platform, the students had a sense of how much fun it would be to take part in the rapid development of China's optical industry.

The astronomical telescope and orbit determination technology for satellites at the Shanghai Astronomical Observatory was also breathtaking, giving the students a brand-new understanding of China's scientific development.

After the three-day trip, the students were eager to share their appreciation and gratitude. Yan Lo Andre Miguel from Portugal regarded it as a unique experience that could never be achieved living abroad. Eva Constranze Keller from Germany, whose mother was Chinese, expressed her sense of belonging and pride in the country's rapid development.

Students pose for a group photo during their visit to Roche Diagnostics, a Swiss-based medical company with its Chinese branch headquartered in Shanghai. The students gain a better understanding of local foreign-funded enterprises and youth career development planning. [Photo/qwb.sh.gov.cn]