Xi'an on Campus! HIS Practical Course Show
The warmth of Xi’an’s clay still lingers on their fingertips, and the glowing lights of the Ever-Bright City flicker fresh in their memories.
For students at Hailiang International School (HIS), this 1,500-kilometer cultural journey found its perfect ending in a self-organized “Xi’an Practical Education Achievement Exhibition” — one they planned entirely on their own.
This wasn’t just a display; it was learning deepened and extended. From cultural explorers to project planners, from absorbing knowledge to sharing creative ideas, the students wove curiosity, communication, and reflection into every step of preparing the exhibition. In doing so, they brought Xi’an’s “three-dimensional classroom” back to life on campus.
How the Exhibition Came to Be
Planning kicked off the moment the students returned from Xi’an. Guided by their teachers, they formed a dedicated curatorial team and dived into a big question: How do we make Chang’an’s stories feel alive?
The Curatorial Team pored over everyone’s travel journals and sifted through thousands of photos from the trip. After endless brainstorming sessions, they settled on five core sections: “Xi’an Intangible Cultural Heritage Experience Area,” “Xi’an History & Culture Exhibition Area,” “Xi’an Food Tasting Area,” “Xi’an Fun Knowledge Interaction Area,” and “Traditional Hanfu Dressing Experience Area.”
The Design Team rolled up their sleeves to measure the venue and map out the exhibition route. Those “treasures” brought back from Xi’an became threads that stitched together “Chang’an’s stories,” making visitors feel like they were wandering through the ancient city’s lively streets.
A 'Miniature Chang'an' Takes Over Campus
When the exhibition opened, the entire corridor transformed into a tiny, bustling version of Chang’an Avenue. Photos and posters capturing the ancient city’s magic lined the walls, paired with vivid captions and introductions written by the students themselves.
On display tables, handcrafted Terracotta Army figurines and ancient relic models sat beside student “docents.” They talked passionately about the Terracotta Warriors’ military roles, how they made their models by hand, and even dug into the Qin Dynasty’s imperial system. Through these chats, they wove together history, craft, and social studies into stories that stuck.
“Biangbiang noodles, serving up everyday joy!” The liveliest spot in the hall was the noodle station. Students fired up pots and served steaming bowls of Biangbiang noodles to teachers and classmates. In the rising steam, they shared more than just Xi’an’s famous flavour — they passed on a little life wisdom: loving life means taking care with every meal.
“Knowledge quizzes & blind boxes: Let’s play with 1,000 years of history!” They turned what they’d learned in Xi’an into fun quiz questions and mysterious blind boxes. The rush of answering fast, the thrill of unpacking a surprise, the laughter when someone got it right — in every interaction, Xi’an’s history, geography, and stories became unforgettable.
Why Go to All This Trouble for an Exhibition?
This exhibition is the perfect closed loop of our “Perceive China” course: Practice → Reflect → Create → Share.
Traveling to Xi’an? That’s “practice.” Sorting through what they learned after returning? That’s “reflection.” Planning the exhibition? That’s “creation.” Inviting teachers and students to join in? That’s “sharing.”
“When we went to Xi’an, we were ‘perceivers’ of culture; when we held the exhibition, we became ‘creators’ and ‘communicators’ of culture. This process deepened our understanding of Chinese civilisation so much,” said Shivani, a member of the curatorial team.
For HIS, this exhibition shows the true power of practical education: We don’t take students to Xi’an to make them memorise facts. We want to spark their curiosity about civilisation, help them build teamwork skills, and ignite their passion for sharing.
We're Exhibiting More Than Xi'an
From visiting the ancient capital of 13 dynasties to creating something amazing on campus, HIS students completed a full circle of learning.
We didn’t just exhibit Chang’an’s photos and artifacts. We exhibited learning at its most beautiful — drawing inspiration from the world, and growing through real creation.
Through this exhibition, we want to say: HIS’s “I’m in China” course is never a “check-in” trip. We use mountains and rivers as classrooms, and creation as the answer. We want students to “bring back” what they’ve learned after “going out” — and then “pass it on.”
it's transforming, applying, and passing on what you've learned.
Where will the next “I’m in China” journey take us? Maybe not long — the students who felt so proud of curating this exhibition are already asking: “Next time we go to the Forbidden City, can we hold a ‘Forbidden City Cultural and Creative Exhibition’?”
This is exactly the kind of “learning experience” we strive to offer every HIS student.
When students take the initiative to turn their cultural experiences into something creative, practical education becomes more than just an exhibition — it becomes a precious part of how they grow.
