Chong Yee-lam (right) climbed Taishan Mountain with her friend. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
When 20-year-old Chong Yee-lam of Hong Kong climbed Taishan Mountain in Shandong province for the first time, she stood at the summit for long time, gazing into the distance.
Part of a poem about the mountain came to mind: "At the top, you can see all mountains in a single glance."
Chong said, "I knew the poem before climbing the mountain, but it was the moment when I reached the top and stood there, marveling at the grandeur, that I knew what it meant."
She added that the poem lingered in her mind for days after she returned to school.
Because of her interest in Chinese history and culture, Chong chose cultural heritage and museology as her major at Shandong University after graduating in 2019 from senior middle school in Hong Kong.
"I learned that Shandong has rich historical and cultural resources. In addition, the archaeology department at Shandong University has a good reputation," she said.
Now in her junior year at SDU, Chong has been learning about the rich cultural heritage of Shandong, the home of Confucius. Over the past three years, Chong has visited several cities in Shandong, including Qufu, Qingdao and Dongying.
"Field studies provide a deep and comprehensive understanding of culture," she said.
Last month, Chong visited Dongying, where she was impressed by the Sun Tzu Cultural Park and the Yellow River Delta National Nature Reserve.
"The Art of War by Sun Tzu is well-known throughout the world," she said. "I learned of his life and works at the park and later learned the values he espoused, such as prudence in waging war."
At the Yellow River Delta reserve, she felt a sense of tranquillity. "It's probably because of the environment," she said.
"The wild animals are not disturbed by human activity."
On campus, Chong has classes to get hands-on experience with traditional Chinese culture, such as flower arranging and conducting tea ceremonies. She is especially impressed by the procedure for making books the way the ancients did.
"It's not easy to make a book," she said. "We need to go through many steps and sew pages together with needles. That's one reason the ancients cherished books so much."
Although it was the first time she had left home to live in a city for an extended period, Chong adjusted without difficulty.
"Before coming to Shandong, I visited several cities－Wuhan, Chongqing, Beijing－which helped me understand the culture, habits, customs and people on the Chinese mainland," she said, noting the warm atmosphere she has found.
"When I go to a fruit shop, I am frequently greeted by the woman who is the boss. She remembers me."
When she gets homesick, she makes video calls to family members. And she's on the lookout for Hong Kong food. She found something close, a local snack called tianmo, a kind of porridge.
"Judging from its name, I thought it would be sweet, but it turned out to be salty, which suits my taste," she said.
In a year, Chong will graduate from the university. She hopes an opportunity will arise to stay on the mainland to work.
"The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area has been creating more opportunities for young people," Chong said.
"I believe that if we take advantage of these opportunities, we will be able to realize our dreams in the future."
