For 77 American university students visiting Chengdu, the capital city of southwest China's Sichuan Province, the journey of discovery has gone far beyond language and landscapes -- it has become a hands-on encounter with the living soul of Chinese culture.
From the dazzling stage of the Sichuan Opera to the tranquil corners of a city teahouse, the young Americans have stepped out of the classroom and into the rhythms of daily life, learning the true essence of China.
The students were in the city for a youth exchange at Southwest Jiaotong University, experiencing local culture and daily life. One of the groups explored a famous Sichuan's best-known performing art, the Sichuan Opera.
For Ryan Chao, a student from Yale University, he expected to learn more about China when he signed up for the trip.
What he didn't expect was that it would include an afternoon learning the Sichuan Opera.
He said he has studied Chinese for two years, hoping one day to experience the culture behind the language.
Chao and five other students have been working on their movements on stage -- following the eyes, repeating each gesture till it finally comes naturally when performing in front of the rest of the team.
But mastering the Sichuan Opera takes far more than mastering the movements, the students said.
"Let's say it's pretty difficult. We were just learning from our amazing teacher right there, teaching us several different moves, which I'm sure is only just scratching the surface of what's needed to actually perform in Sichuan Opera," Chao said.
"Even something as small as the way you move your fingers can be, I mean, can be much harder than works. And then when you add in all the moves, the jumping, I saw a flip earlier, and the singing, I mean, it was definitely a lot harder than I thought it would be," said Sebastien Sanandres, a student from Swarthmore College.
The next morning, the classroom was replaced by a teahouse in Chengdu's People's Park, where the students shared what they've learned from different cultural experiences across the city.
"This is just a really fun experience. The Sichuan Opera is not just one thing. It's not just opera, it's not just singing, it's not just dancing. It can encompass truly anything, and I think that's what makes the performers so masterful and so adaptable," Chao said.
"We learned basic Kung Fu movements and breathing techniques. But we also, what I thought was awesome, was we got to work with and practice with, like, a lot of kids that were learning Kung Fu as well. And we got to meet their families. And it was fantastic to more of a cultural exchange, more than just Kung Fu itself," said Henry Hampel, another Yale student.
Ryan came to Chengdu hoping to experience the culture behind the language and he wasn't the only one.
For many in the group, the memories they'll take home are not just the places they visit, but the people they meet and the experiences they share.
U.S. students get hands-on taste of Sichuan Opera in exchange trip
