Sponsored by China Overseas Chinese Federation (OCF), organized by Jiangsu Overseas Chinese Federation (JOCF) and Zhenjiang Overseas Chinese Federation (ZJOCF), and co-organized by College of Liberal Arts (Center for Language and Culture) of Jiangsu University, the 2024 “Journey to China's Roots” Summer Camp in Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, “Longyinqinyun” Camp was officially opened on the morning of July 17th. Twenty young people of Chinese descent from Spain, Denmark, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany and other countries, together with three leaders, gathered at Jiangsu University and began a ten-day journey to discover their roots in Zhenjiang.

Zhenjiang is located at the crossroads of the Yangtze River and the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, where there are mountains, water and stories, and the city is fresh, beautiful, humanistic, conveniently transported and industrially developed, making it an important port, industry and trade, and scenic tourist city in the Yangtze River Delta region.

The Zhenjiang camp combines the local characteristics, and carefully sets up the courses with Chinese traditional cultural characteristics, such as guqin appreciation, erhu, calligraphy, origami, Song Dynasty tea ordering, (mud that can be blown) mud barking, ancient armor making, etc., to experience the traditional brewing techniques and unique flavor of Zhenjiang vinegar, the “vinegar capital of China”, and to explore the history of the Yangtze River's fish culture. They will visit Xijin ancient ferry and wander around the thousand-year-old street, visit Jinshan Temple and explore the legend of the White Snake, go into Danyang eyeglasses, medical equipment and other characteristic industries, observe the butterfly change of the high-quality development of the manufacturing industry, experience the humanistic scenic spots, cultural characteristics and modern industrial development of Zhenjiang, and understand Zhenjiang in the non-heritage in-depth.

The opening ceremony was hosted by Zhou Du, vice dean of the College of Arts and Letters of Jiangsu University. First of all, Mr. Wang Yongxin, President of Zhenjiang Returned Overseas Chinese Federation, made a speech, introducing the basic situation of this camp to all campers and leaders, and wishing for the successful completion of this activity. Then Dai Li, the representative of the leader from Denmark, made a speech, she thanked the organizer and the motherland for their care, and put forward the expectation of the summer camp. After that, Guo Kejia, the representative of the campers from Holland, spoke, starting from her love for Zhenjiang Balsamic Vinegar, expressing her desire for the next journey. Finally, Xiao Yan from Overseas Chinese Federation, Huang Bei, vice chairman and secretary general of Zhenjiang Returned Overseas Chinese Federation and Shao Xuejun, chairman of Overseas Chinese Federation of Jiangsu University, presented Three Character Classic, Thousand Character Classic and Farming Culture in Tang Dynasty Poetry to the leading teachers and campers of the camp, hoping that they would appreciate the charm of Chinese character culture and pass on and spread the Chinese culture by means of these canons and writings.

A tree that grows in the sky must have its root; water that flows in the mountains must have its source. It is hoped that overseas Chinese youths will have positive experiences and full exchanges during the summer camp, enjoy the humanistic beauty of Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, and deepen their knowledge and understanding of Chinese culture.