With spring in full bloom, every step becomes a classroom. Recently, sixth-grade students and teachers from the Puxi Campus visited the Hanxiang Water Park in Pengdu Village, Maqiao Town, to participate in a hands-on lesson that blended the wisdom of bridge architecture, intangible cultural heritage, and the spirit of teamwork.

Filled with curiosity about this "hands-on lesson," the students eagerly entered the park, where the beautiful scenery immediately caught their eyes: ancient bridges were scattered throughout the grounds, and there were over 600 trees more than a century old. As they walked among the stone bridges, they listened to the stories behind them while eagerly searching for the long stone bridge with exactly 100 steps. The children counted the steps as they climbed, marveling at the ancient auspicious saying, "Step by step to greater heights, all endeavors fulfilled." They also bent down to examine the mortise-and-tenon joints and stone carvings on the bridge, experiencing the craftsmanship of traditional bridge-building firsthand. The garden tour and bridge viewing were just the prelude; an even more exciting hands-on experience was about to begin.

I. Building Bridges with Skillful Hands, Passing on the Lion Dance Tradition

Unlike ordinary arts and crafts classes, this time the students were challenged to build a "Da Vinci Bridge"—a lever bridge—without a single nail or drop of glue. Students from every two classes formed a group, and under the guidance of the park instructors, each received a solid wooden slat. At first, many students looked puzzled: how could a few wooden slats possibly form a bridge strong enough for people to walk on? The teacher demonstrated by placing the first strip at an angle, crossing the second over it, and layering the third on top… The strips "locked" into each other as if in perfect harmony. The students took turns, carefully interweaving the pieces. When the final strip clicked into place, an arched bridge stood firmly before them—built entirely without nails or glue, relying solely on friction and an interlocking structure that grew "steadier with each layer."

The thrilling moment arrived: the students lined up and crossed the bridge one by one. At first, some were cautious, their steps as light as if treading on cotton; but after taking a few steps and realizing the bridge didn't budge, their courage grew, and their strides became more confident. Everyone marveled that a bridge they could build themselves actually contained such ingenious mechanical wisdom.

Next, the students embarked on an immersive experience of intangible cultural heritage—learning the Maqiao Hand Lion Dance. Under the guidance of the park's instructors, everyone held up small lion heads and began practicing the movements: shuffling steps, head-shaking, and tail-wagging. Though they were a bit stiff at first, it wasn't long before laughter filled the air. The "lions" leaped and tumbled among the crowd; though their movements were still a bit awkward, their earnestness and joy infected everyone present.

II. Working Together, Tasting Fresh Produce in the Fields

With the afternoon sun shining brightly, the team-building activities kicked off in full swing on the open lawn. Each class engaged in different team-building activities: some classes split into two teams, gripping a long rope tightly as they competed in a tug-of-war to the chant of "One, two, one, two"; others unfurled a giant rainbow umbrella and worked together to bounce a large balloon, their laughter rising and falling with the balloon's movements; still others pulled on ropes to control a platform, carefully stacking building blocks layer by layer. No matter the activity, through cheering and working together, the children learned the lesson that "one person moving fast isn't fast enough; only when the whole team moves in unison can we win."

Another source of joy came from the fields. The students entered the greenhouse to harvest seasonal vegetables. Lush Chinese mustard greens covered the ridges; the students bent down to select and gently pull them up. Before long, they had filled bag after bag with the "fruits of their labor." One student held up the vegetables and happily shouted, "We're having a special dinner tonight!" Mud splattered their shoes, and laughter filled the air.

Looking back on the day: the interlocking structure of the "Double-Force Bridge" demonstrated the wonders of mechanics and collaboration; every move of the lion dance radiated the warmth of intangible cultural heritage; the shouts during team projects embodied the spirit of unity; and the lush green Chinese mustard greens in the fields served as the most vivid lesson in labor education. Stepping out of the campus classroom, there were no walls, yet learning was everywhere. On this day, the students observed as they walked, discovered as they worked, and grew through cooperation—this is precisely the most beautiful meaning of a spring outing.

(Written by Xinyu Ma

Pictures by Teachers

Reviewed by Ms. Cheng Liyan, Shiyu Wu, Hannah Kloeber)