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Supported by the Ministry of Education’s Mainland-Hong Kong Higher Education Exchange Scheme (“Ten Thousand People’s Scheme”), Centre for Sustainable Placemaking and Urban-Rural Regeneration (SPUR) at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) and Guizhou University organised an eight-day trip, “CUHK Students Visit Guizhou for Cultural Space Village-hopping Journey”. The event has not only fostered cultural exchange between students from Hong Kong and Guizhou but also laid the foundation for future cooperation in urban-rural integration and cultural conservation. CUHK has always been committed to providing practice-oriented learning opportunities to help students adapt to an interconnected global world while strengthening their respect for local culture, history and ecology.

Academic and interdisciplinary collaboration promotes innovative thinking

The exchange programme was officially launched at Guizhou University. The opening ceremony was attended by Wang Jiedan, Deputy Director of the Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Office at Guizhou University; Professor Yu Yafang, Party Secretary and Professor in the School of Architecture and Urban Planning at Guizhou University; Professor Thomas Chung Wang-leung, Director of CUHK Research Centre for Sustainable Placemaking and Urban-rural Regeneration, as well as Dr Han Man and Mr Lu Chunfeng from CUHK’s School of Architecture, along with student representatives.

Deputy Director Wang and Professor Yu warmly welcomed the Hong Kong faculty members and students, and introduced the cultural background of Guizhou. Professor Chung emphasised the academic significance of exploring Guizhou’s diverse ethnic cultures and encouraged students to take their experiences and lessons back to their schools and communities, promoting cross-border cultural exchange.

SPUR, part of the Institute of Environment, Energy and Sustainability (IEES), assisted by the Faculty of Social Science, aims to strengthen the University’s research capacity in urban-rural coexistence and sustainable place-making through interdisciplinary collaboration. Under the School of Architecture and SPUR’s leadership, the event placed particular emphasis on cultural diversity and cross-cultural exchange, inspiring students from various disciplines – architecture, urban studies, cultural management, business administration and traditional Chinese medicine – to collaborate and explore how to effectively integrate ethnic cultures with modern technology, promoting rural revitalisation and sustainable development.

Comprehensive learning involves in-depth experience of traditional village culture

Through the eight-day journey, CUHK and Guizhou University students and faculty members immersed themselves in the culture of traditional villages across Guiyang, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, and Anshun. They explored the intangible cultural heritage of the Bouyei and Dong ethnic groups, such as the culture of the Tunpu and batik wax dyeing, embarking on a profound and unique journey into the exploration of traditional culture. The visited cultural spaces also included Bouyei villages in Huaxi Town, the ancient town of Qingyan, Yunshan Tun in Anshun and Zhaoxing Dong Village.

Deepening cross-cultural cooperation and promoting urban-rural integration and cultural conservation

During the journey, students from various disciplines exchanged experiences and discussed issues on field visits and in workshops, exploring the integration of academic knowledge with practical approaches. This experience not only broadened the students’ interregional perspectives but also cultivated their ability to deeply reflect on and develop innovative solutions for future urban and rural revitalisation, cultural conservation and other important issues.

Faculty members and students from Hong Kong and mainland China can look forward to continuing to strengthen cooperation, further academic exchange, cultural conservation and rural revitalisation, and jointly promote sustainable development.