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Field Trips for Shanghai, China

You are encouraged to participate in the organized field trips, which are included in your program fees. In addition to the included program field trips, you'll also have field trips as part of many of your courses and have numerous informal activities that expose you to the local culture as well. Destinations may change at the discretion of the Resident Director.

The following are possible destinations, view term calendars for specifics.

View of the water and mountains at sunset in Hangzhou, China.Hangzhou

Located southwest of Shanghai, Hangzhou served as China’s capital during the Southern Song Dynasty. The islets, temples, pavilions, gardens, causeways and arched bridges of jade-like West Lake are the supreme example of lakeside beauty in China.

Beautiful gardens of Nanjing, China.Nanjing

Nanjing lies on the south bank of the Yangtze River and is the capital city of Jiangsu Province. Nanjing’s history traces back to 472 BC and in the following centuries Nanjing served as the capital city of several dynasties. On this trip, we will visit the mausoleum of Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang, the Confucius temple, the mausoleum of Dr. Sun Yat-Sen and more.

Skyline view of Shanghai, China.Shanghai City Tour

Visit the most famous places in the city such as The Bund, the Pearl Tower, Yu Garden and Bazaar, and the Shanghai History Museum where you will get a sense of Shanghai’s past, present, and future.

Students exploring the historic relics of Shaoxing, China.Shaoxing

Situated on the southern shore of Hangzhou Bay in Zhejiang province, Shaoxing offers rich cultural and historical relics. Notable celebrities include Wang Xizhi (the greatest calligrapher), Lu Xun (the most influential figure in modern Chinese literature), Zhou Enlai (former Prime Minister in Mao Zedong regime), and more. Shaoxing is also well-known for its rice wine in China.

Students learning how to strech silk and the silk-making process in Suzhou, China.Suzhou

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Suzhou’s interlocking canals, nine classic gardens and embroidery and silk factories are the chief surviving elements of a cultural capital that once dominated China’s artistic scene.

The river and ancient buildings in Xitang, China.Xitang

Located on the canal between Hangzhou and Beijing, Xitang people still live in their centuries-old houses on the water, practicing the ancient customs of many water towns in the Yangtze delta. Arched roofs, lofty gables, stone bridges, and green willows lining the banks can be found almost everywhere in town. In 2005, Paramount Pictures show the canal scenes for Mission Impossible III in this water village.