Correspondent: Luo Huizhong; Student Journalists: Guo Xubai, Wu Wenhuan, Bao Le
Amid cicada chirps and lotus fragrance, friends gather; the Chu‑culture river city writes a new chapter of friendship. From July 5 to 11, 2026, Wuhan Technical University welcomed the faculty‑student delegation from Ngee Ann Polytechnic of Singapore for its 29th session. Twenty‑five teachers and students from Singapore travelled across mountains and seas for a one‑week immersive study tour.
Welcome Ceremony for the 29th China‑Singapore Humanities Exchange and Joint Teaching Program
On July 6, the welcome ceremony for the delegation was held in the university Makerspace. Project officials from the Office of International Cooperation and Exchange delivered welcoming remarks. They reviewed the fruitful educational outcomes accumulated through long‑term interactions between the two universities, and expressed hopes that visiting Singaporean youth would take this study tour as a bond to build long‑term communication bridges. Fun ice‑breaking games including “Digital Huddle” and “Guess Animals from Pictures” were arranged during the ceremony. Young Chinese and Singaporean participants sat and interacted, quickly closing distances and fostering a warm and friendly atmosphere for the whole study tour.
Scene of the Course Overview of China’s National Conditions
Tai Chi Martial Arts Class
Calligraphy and Paper‑cutting Workshop
This study tour retained three classic featured courses: National Conditions Seminar, Tai Chi Practice, and Calligraphy & Paper‑cutting. Course contents were optimized and knowledge dimensions expanded to help Singaporean teachers and students fully perceive the essence of traditional Chinese culture.
Nie Zhongming gave the lecture Overview of China’s National Conditions. Drawing on real‑world development cases, he presented a multi‑faceted picture of contemporary China, helping visiting faculty and students form an objective and holistic understanding of China’s development.
Niu Kai delivered hands‑on Tai Chi training. He demonstrated traditional postures such as Wave‑hands‑like‑clouds and Single‑whip, shared breathing adjustment techniques, and interpreted the Eastern philosophy of life embodied in the balance of motion and stillness and self‑cultivation.
Cao Xiaobin taught fundamental calligraphy. Starting from the origins and functions of the Four Treasures of the Study, he broke down basic brush‑writing techniques of Chinese characters. He guided participants to practise copying and write their own names, with multiple calligraphy works created by participants displayed in class.
Kong Dan hosted the paper‑cutting workshop. She elaborated on the auspicious meanings embedded in traditional paper‑cut art, explained creative ideas behind classic patterns such as “paired horses”, demonstrated various folding and cutting skills, and led participants to make paper‑cuttings with Chinese‑zodiac themes.
Singaporean Teachers and Students Visit Lucky Island
Singaporean Teachers and Students Visit Wuhan Planning Exhibition Hall
Singaporean Teachers and Students Visit Wushang Dream Times
Singaporean Teachers and Students Visit Baidu Apollo Go
Tailored to the delegation’s academic backgrounds, the study tour designed field visits covering four sectors: eco‑cultural tourism, urban planning, commercial operation, and intelligent science and technology. It linked multiple distinctive urban sites, offering “walking classrooms” to interpret Wuhan’s industrial and urban development.
The delegation first visited Lucky Island. They conducted field research on integrated operation models of ecological resources and cultural tourism, learned about cultural‑creative IP building and long‑term community operation, and explored practical paths for cities to build dynamic leisure zones based on native natural spaces.
Next, they toured Wuhan Planning Exhibition Hall. With the full‑scale urban sandbox and themed exhibition zones, they obtained a panoramic view of Wuhan’s spatial layout and learned about urban construction initiatives including the Yangtze River Ecological Corridor and comprehensive governance of urban lakes.
The group then visited Wushang Dream Times, gaining first‑hand experience of diverse business formats and modern consumption scenarios within this mega‑commercial complex.
At Baidu Apollo Go Smart Mobility Valley, they observed regular commercial operation of autonomous vehicles and experienced how artificial intelligence transforms urban transportation.
Singaporean Teachers and Students Visit Yellow Crane Tower
Singaporean Teachers and Students Visit Hubei Provincial Museum
The itinerary included visits to landmark sites of Chu‑culture with professional interpreters throughout to enrich cultural experiences for visitors.
Participants climbed the Yellow Crane Tower, overlooking the broad Yangtze River and appreciating the millennium‑old poetic heritage of the tower. They wandered Hubu Lane, sampling local specialties such as hot‑dry noodles and doupi (stuffed bean curd skin), and experienced the lively folk culture of the city.
At Hubei Provincial Museum, they enjoyed ancient‑music performances on the Zeng Houyi Bianzhong and viewed national treasures including the Sword of Goujian, gaining in‑depth insight into the time‑honored rituals and civilizations of Chu. They also visited Hubei Art Museum to appreciate original local artworks and experience contemporary Chu‑style artistic creations.
Vice‑President Yang Xudong of Wuhan Technical University Delivers Remarks at the Closing Ceremony
On July 10, the closing ceremony for the 29th China‑Singapore Humanities Exchange and Joint Teaching Program was held in Lingxi Building. Yang Xudong, Vice‑President of Wuhan Technical University, addressed the ceremony and awarded completion certificates to all participants from Ngee Ann Polytechnic.
He stated that 29 consecutive sessions of exchanges bear witness to profound friendship and mutual understanding between the two universities. He encouraged young participants to act as cultural ambassadors between China and foreign countries and spread the voice of China‑Singapore friendship.
Vice‑President Yang Xudong Presents Completion Certificates to Students from Ngee Ann Polytechnic
Representative of Ngee Ann Polytechnic Faculty, TAN KOK LING, Speaks at the Closing Ceremony
Representative of Ngee Ann Polytechnic Students, LIM ZI HUI, Speaks at the Closing Ceremony
Group Photo at the Closing Ceremony of the 29th China‑Singapore Humanities Exchange and Joint Teaching Program
TAN KOK LING, the Singapore group leader, shared reflections on the exchange and study tour. He spoke highly of Wuhan’s rapid urban development, noting that this program combined industrial‑site investigations with local cultural immersion and brought fresh insights on every visit.
Student representative LIM ZI HUI shared takeaways from the field research at Lucky Island. She commented that diverse on‑site visits greatly broadened her academic perspectives.
Towards the end of the ceremony, young Chinese and Singaporean participants exchanged distinctive souvenirs and put on varied artistic performances. Sincere cross‑border friendship was cemented amid laughter. The one‑week 29th China‑Singapore Humanities Exchange and Joint Teaching Program drew to a successful close.
Reviewed by: Zhang Ziyi Editor‑in‑charge: Lou Xiuming
