Youth Explore China Through the Grand Canal, a Glimpse of the North China Tour of GYLD Grand Canal Tour

From Sept. 8 to 11, the North China Tour of the GYLD Grand Canal Tour hosted by the Academy of Contemporary China and World Studies and the CICG Center for International Cultural Communication, came to a successful conclusion.

Twelve young people from nine countries traveled to canal cities including Beijing, Tianjin and Liaocheng, exploring the thousand-year-old Grand Canal and discovering its enduring legacy and renewed vitality.

Dew glistened on the grass, while the sky cleared to a deep blue after a light rain. On Sept. 8, the GYLD Grand Canal Tour officially kicked off aboard a passenger boat on the Grand Canal in Tongzhou, Beijing.

Amid laughter and lively conversation, old photographs of the Grand Canal swayed gently in the breeze. Mr. Liu Shizhao, 78, a former photographer with People's China who had twice cycled along the Grand Canal to document and photograph it, came aboard with his photographic works to offer his best wishes to the international youth.

"You should not only see the beautiful scenery along the canal, but also see how ordinary people live," Liu said. His words reflected the hopes of the young participants. Hassnain from Pakistan said he was curious about the way of life along the canal. He wanted to see how ordinary people live, eat, travel and go about their daily lives, and to understand the impact of the canal while gaining firsthand experiences and insights.

As the journey continued southward along the canal, the international youth witnessed how the Grand Canal has brought together customs, products and cultures from different regions.

In Tianjin, Huo Qingshun, a representative inheritor of Yangliuqing woodblock New Year paintings, a national-level intangible cultural heritage representative project, shared with young people from different countries the history of how the Grand Canal gave rise to Yangliuqing New Year paintings. He also personally guided them in trying their hand at the traditional painting techniques.

In Liaocheng, visitors were captivated by the ingenious design of Guangyue Tower and the exquisite brick and wood carvings at the Shanxi-Shaanxi Guild Hall. The city's rich array of local delicacies and its many Peking Opera enthusiasts offered vivid evidence of Linqing's historic prosperity and affluence.

Jan Jakub Zywczok from Poland said the construction of the Grand Canal could be seen as the ancient Chinese turning their "science fiction story" into reality. It demonstrated the harmonious coexistence between people and nature while also reflecting the Chinese belief in the power of human endeavor to overcome natural challenges.

"By the canal, I learned the story of Yangliuqing New Year paintings. I understand that behind this painting is the people's sense of happiness. So it is not just a painting, but a painting of people's happiness," said Asela Prabath from Sri Lanka, holding up a Yangliuqing New Year painting.

"So cute!" In a small courtyard beside the Linqing Customs House, a snow-white cat with strikingly different blue and yellow eyes was surrounded by the young visitors. What amazed the young people from different countries even more was that the gentle and affectionate Linqing longhair cat before them was a living relic of cultural exchange between China and other countries.

More than 500 years ago, Persian cats and Chinese tabby cats met amid the flourishing trade along the Grand Canal, creating a celebrated story of cultural exchange and mutual enrichment between China and other civilizations, while also reflecting the openness and inclusiveness of Chinese civilization.