Zhangzhou

Ruan Yangyang (center), a pianist from Nanjing county in Fujian province, performs with other young musicians, including students from the United States, at a concert in Zhangzhou on Tuesday. A group of 110 students from the US are on a visit to Fujian and will cover Xiamen, Quanzhou and Zhangzhou over 10 days as part of an exchange program. (ZHANG JINCHUAN/CHINA NEWS SERVICE) US college students are experiencing China firsthand through a cultural exchange program that aims to dispel stereotypes and foster environmental awareness. The China-US Youth Exchange Camp, which began on Monday at the Xiamen campus of Huaqiao University, is jointly organized by the Fujian Provincial Department of Education and Huaqiao University. About 110 students from the United States will visit cities including Xiamen, Quanzhou and Zhangzhou during the 10-day exchange program, which is focused on music, the environment and culture. Han Mei, director of the Chinese Music and Culture Center at Tennessee State University, said the US students had been diligently preparing for months, studying and practicing Chinese musical instruments. Han and two other teachers are leading a group of 16 TSU students at the camp. The camp aims to promote educational exchanges and cooperation between Fujian province…

"Man is but a traveler without origin, so don’t ask where home lies. Contentment is everywhere, for the world is full of floral fragrance," wrote the renowned scholar Lin Yutang, who was born in Pinghe County, Zhangzhou City, Fujian Province, China.In his beautiful hometown, there is an enchanting Oolong tea known as Baiya Qilan. It is a rare and precious variety of Oolong tea and a product protected by a national geographical indication, with a very poetic name. Baiya Qilan originated in Pengxi Village, Pinghe County, Zhangzhou, Fujian Province. It is named for its fresh leaves that have white downy tips and the unique orchid aroma of the finished tea. It is one of the five famous teas in Fujian Province alongside Anxi Tieguanyin, Wuyi Rock Tea, Minbei Shuixian, and Yongchun Foshou. The main producing areas of Baiya Qilan are now located in the Qiling Township and Jiufeng Town regions of Pinghe County, near Mount Dacenshan, the highest mountain in southern Fujian with an elevation of 1,544 meters. Snowfall is a rare sight in southern Fujian, except in Pinghe, where even rime ice can be seen on the summit of Mount Dacenshan during snowfall. Pinghe County not only produces tea…