In order to enrich the spiritual and cultural life of faculty members, deepen the integration among teaching staff, foster a healthy, collaborative educational atmosphere, and enhance their sense of belonging and well-being, the Trade Union of ICI thoughtfully organized a spring outing to Liancheng County, Longyan City, for its faculty from April 11 to 12, 2026. Led by He Dongmei, Deputy Dean of ICI and Chair of ICI Trade Union, the event brought together faculty members, who relaxed their body and mind amid natural scenery and drew inspiration from rich traditional culture.
Basking in mild spring weather and vibrant natural scenery, the group arrived in Liancheng on April 11 and first visited Guanzhai Mountain, known as “the most beautiful scenic spot in Western Fujian”, for an on-site investigation of natural aesthetics. As one of the "Danxia Double Wonders", Guanzhai Mountain features rolling peaks encircled by clear waters, integrating grandeur, wonder, serenity and grace with profound natural charm and cultural heritage. The faculty took a boat ride on Shimen Lake to enjoy natural wonders such as the Danxia on Water and the One Line Sky up close. Winding mountain trails connect pavilions, suspended cable bridges and deep mountain valleys. The harmonious landscape of interwoven mountains and rivers offers a vivid natural reference for the teaching and research of ICI’s art and design faculty. During the tour, teachers wandered along mountain paths and engaged in pleasant conversations, exchanging ideas on teaching approaches and creative inspiration while sharing daily life moments. Laughter echoed through the mountains. The serene natural scenery effectively eased fatigue from long hours of desk work, allowing everyone to nourish their hearts and enhance their friendship while getting close to nature.
Empowered by culture, heritage is carried on continuously. On the morning of April 12, the group traveled to Sibao Town in Liancheng, a living heritage site for Chinese woodblock printing, immersing themselves in the unique charm of national intangible cultural heritage. As one of China’s four major woodblock printing bases in the Ming and Qing dynasties, Sibao Town still preserves the country’s most intact and largest existing ancient workshop complex for woodblock printing. The precious remains of woodblocks, ancient books, and printing tools collected here can be regarded as "living fossil" in the history of world printing and publishing. Under the guidance of Ma Li, a representative inheritor of national intangible cultural heritage, the group gained a deep understanding of the complete process from plate material selection and pattern design to carving. They also personally experienced the operation procedures of ink brushing, paper mounting and printing, and completed their own carved plate prints by themselves. By innovatively integrating traditional craftsmanship with modern aesthetics, the inheritor has created vivid images, such as Nezha, Baifu (hundred blessings), and Caishen (God of Wealth), allowing the teachers to experience the exquisite craftsmanship of traditional skills and deeply comprehend the profound connotations of excellent traditional Chinese culture through practical research.
Tracing ancient village charm and enhancing aesthetic appreciation, the tour concluded at Peitian Ancient Village, an 800-year-old historic and cultural village in China. The group visited Peitian Art Museum and explored the unique integration of ancient village preservation with contemporary art. Built upon traditional ancient dwellings, the museum organically unites local architectural conservation with the display of modern and contemporary arts. In the environment where ancient houses and exhibition spaces intersect, the visiting teachers gained a detailed understanding of the spatial layout and ancient construction wisdom of ancient villages, and deeply explored the revitalization path of ancient villages for contemporary rural aesthetic education and community building. Subsequently, they strolled through the ancient village, where the scattered ancient dwellings were adorned with blue bricks and black tiles, exuding an antique charm and humanistic atmosphere. The visiting teachers couldn’t help but stop to admire the scenery and take photos, appreciating the historical heritage and unique charm of the ancient village in an immersive way.
This spring outing serves as a concrete initiative of ICI to fulfill its commitment of “delivering practical services for staff” and creating a "warm home for faculty members". Well-balanced with leisure, cultural experience and research value, the itinerary won high recognition from all faculty members. They remarked that this event not only effectively alleviated work pressure, but also provided a good platform for in-depth communication among the teachers, allowing everyone to relax and broaden their cultural horizons while enhancing cultural confidence. Foreign teachers were particularly impressed by the scenery and traditional culture of Liancheng, saying that they were deeply touched by their experiences and felt the unique charm of China's excellent traditional culture.
This spring outing has further strengthened the cohesion and solidarity of ICI’s faculty staff, offering new perspectives and inspiration for teachers to innovate curriculum design and enrich teaching forms. Next, ICI will continue to cater to the needs of faculty and staff by launching more diverse and rich cultural and sports activities, continuously improve the faculty and staff’s sense of happiness and belonging, and strive to build a warm and dynamic community, while injecting strong spiritual power into the construction of first-class disciplines and high-quality development of the institute.
