On December 23, 2017, under the organization and leadership of the International Student Management Office, Lao and Thai students from our college took a college bus to the "Eastern Buddhist Capital" for a Chinese Buddhist cultural experience.

The Eastern Buddhist Capital scenic area, a national 4A-level attraction, includes four of the "Lingyun Nine Peaks." The entire area, set against the mountains, features a forest hiding thousands of Buddha statues and caves with hundreds of niches. It showcases the millennia-old charm of Buddhist culture and the traces of modern people's continuation of ancient stone carving and sculpture art.

During the activity, students strolled through the "Lingyun Nine Peaks" surrounded by green trees, admired exquisite stone carvings, gazed at the world's largest reclining Buddha, explored the Ten Thousand Buddhas Cave, entered the underground palace, climbed Lianxin Mountain, and experienced the solemn and sacred cliff - carved Buddha statue art caves. They tasted the charm of ancient relics and the old appearance of the Tang Dynasty in modern society and appreciated the unique charm of the Eastern Buddhist Capital scenic area.

After visiting the entire Eastern Buddhist Capital scenic area, students were amazed by the exquisite Buddha statues and the grand cave complex. Our international students come from Buddhist countries along the "Belt and Road." They felt a strong sense of familiarity and excitement to see the history and continuation of Buddhism in China in Leshan, a "Buddhist paradise."

President Xi Jinping said, "Civilizations are enriched through exchanges and mutual learning." Glorious Buddhist culture once connected people in East Asia, Central Asia, South Asia, and Southeast Asia via the "Belt and Road." "National relations depend on people's friendship, and people's friendship depends on heart - to - heart connections." Through this activity, Lao and Thai students experienced Chinese traditional culture, deepened their understanding of Leshan's history and culture, narrowed the cultural gap between their countries and Leshan, and enhanced their sense of belonging to Leshan and the school.