On March 8th, 32 IMPA 2014 students exchange students visited the National Museum of China. This trip was part of the orientation efforts to familiarize students with Beijing, and to help them learn about the history and culture of China’s five thousand year civilization.
The tour started with the museum surroundings, which is located in the heart of Beijing, an area clustered with both historic and modern buildings and architecture. The students spread out right away after stepping into the grand hall of the Museum. They first visited the “Exhibition of the Centennial of the National Museum of China: History and Achievements” to grasp the development of China’s museum over the past century.
In the exhibition hall of “State Gifts: Historical Testament to Friendly Exchanges”, diversified gifts that Party and government leaders received in their diplomatic activities since the founding of New China were exhibited. Students were very excited to find the gifts presented by their home countries, shared the background stories and kept taking photos. These gifts are a demonstration to the brilliant success of China’s diplomacy over the past decades, and a reflection of the unique culture and art of different countries in the world. Tebelelo and Ouma from Botswana emphasized that it was very surprised to see the traditional handicraft from Botswana and it made them feel at home.
Students have expressed that the tour was very meaningful because it helped them understand China’s ancient and modern history, as well as Chinese culture, and directly displayed the fusion of the past and present.
