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The Department of Geography at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) recently organized an enriching 16-day field trip to Jiangxi and Hubei provinces for its undergraduate and postgraduate students from May 30th , 2023. The educational excursion involved a collaboration between three universities: the Department of Geography at HKU, Jiangxi Normal University, and Wuhan University, which was supported by the Ten Thousand People’s Scheme of the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China. This field trip was led by Dr. Steven Zhang and Dr. Jimmy Li, and has involved more than 50 students from three universities, which aims to foster interaction between students from Hong Kong and mainland China while providing insights into both physical and human geography.
During the field trip, participants had the opportunity to explore various aspects of a mixed of the physical, human and cultural geography. They sailed along the China’s largest freshwater lake – Poyang Lake (鄱陽湖), climbed the renowned mountain that integrates scenery, culture, religion, education, and politics – Mount Lushan (廬山), witnessed an ancient battlefield in the history of Three Kingdoms – Chibi (赤壁), explored the birthplace of blue and white porcelain – Jingdezhen (景德鎮), toured two of China's Four Great Famous Towers – Pavilion of Prince Teng (滕王閣) and Yellow Crane Tower (黃鶴樓), experienced the most beautiful countryside in China – Wuyuan (婺源) and appreciated the traditional Chinese tea culture. Besides, they also visited state-of-the-art remote sensing, surveying, mapping, photogrammetry and astronomy instruments, which allowed students to witness historical and cutting-edge technologies, enhancing their knowledge of the latest advancements in geospatial data science.
The field trip also focused on rural revitalization and sustainable tourism, with students gaining valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities facing rural communities in China. By engaging in discussions and sharing their perspectives, students from the three universities were able to develop a deeper understanding of the complexities surrounding rural revitalization and sustainable development.
The collaboration among the three participating universities provided a unique platform for academic exchange and cultural understanding. Students from HKU, Jiangxi Normal University, and Wuhan University were able to strengthen connections with their peers from mainland China and expand their understanding of the region’s geography and culture.