In order to enrich the winter vacation for international students, the Office of International Student Affairs of Shanghai Polytechnic University recently organized a tour of Xinchang Ancient Town and Datuan Ancient Town for international students to explore the ancient towns in Shanghai and experience authentic Shanghai culture.
The first destination was the Xinchang History Exhibition Hall. Mr Shao, an international student counselor, explained the origins of Xinchang Ancient Town to the students. The ancient town of Xinchang was formed from accumulated Yangtze River sediment at the mouth of the river. It got its name from the relocation of the Xiasha Salt Field, hence the name "Xinchang".
The students then visited a tea house on an old street in Xinchang Ancient Town and made peach blossom cakes. Peach blossom cake is an ancient imperial pastry and its shape and color resemble peach blossoms. It is made with sweet Longjing green tea filling and is wrapped in a pink puff pastry, which becomes crispy after baking.
The second stop for the students was the Datuan Runbao Agricultural Science Research Base. After learning about the strawberry planting process and environmental requirements, the students were eager to pick strawberries on the farm by themselves.
