This summer, a group of students and teachers from BNBU went on a trip to Miaowan Island as part of the High-quality Development Project for Hundreds of Counties, Thousands of Towns, and Tens of Thousands of Villages. This collaborative initiative between BNBU and Dangan Township, organized by SGE, gave students and teachers an opportunity to uncover the island’s hidden treasures, including its beautiful scenery and cultural richness, while revealing the importance of the environmental-friendly awareness towards the ecological living surroundings of the islanders.

The students spent three days exploring the island and its culture, documenting their trip through photographs and interview. A sample of their work and thoughts can be seen below: 

The Origin of Miaowan

Miaowan Island’s name reflects its deep cultural roots. In Chinese, “Miao” means temple, and “Wan” refers to the bay. The island is home to a temple dedicated to Mazu and Pak Tai, deities worshiped by fishermen for their protection and blessings at sea. Facing the bay, the temple has long been a cultural anchor of the islanders. 

The island’s most important celebration takes place on the third day of the lunar March, when all villagers gather to celebrate the birth of Pak Tai. In addition to this major event, locals also visit the temple on the first and fifteenth of every lunar month to pray.

Listen to the local voice

For the residents of Miaowan, life on the island is defined by its close-knit community and connection to nature. Yu, a local resident, shares her thoughts: “It feels very human on the island because the villagers know each other well and everyone can talk face to face.”  

She adds, “If you love living with nature, you should come to Miaowan. Come and experience the ocean breeze, the waves, the seashells, and the beach. Come to feel the island, to feel the sea.”

The islanders have embraced the quiet life on the island. They’ve gotten used to it, adapted to it, and grown to liked it. Rarely do they leave the island. The rhythms and rules of island life are simply part of what they’ve come to know and cherish.

Capturing the Beautiful Sceneries

Miaowan is a picturesque island, surrounded by uniquely shaped rocks and the vast ocean, and blanketed by countless stars at night.

Event-based Exhibition

To share the wonders of Miaowan, an exhibition documenting the trip opened on October 31st and will run until November 30th. Mr. Jonathan Corbett, the head of CFL, praised the students for their in-depth exploration of the island and encouraged them to continue valuing the preservation of cultural heritage and the appreciation of natural beauty. The exhibition is located in the bulletin area in T3 on the second floor, and everyone is warmly invited to stop by and experience the charm of Miaowan.

Written by: Guozijun Liu, Xinyu Liu, Yaxin Pang, Dingtao Fang, Jingtian Ye

Photos taken by: Guozijun Liu, Xinyu Liu, Yaxin Pang, Dingtao Fang, Jingtian Ye

Video made by : Guozijun Liu, Xinyu Liu, Yaxin Pang, Dingtao Fang, Jingtian Ye

Proofread by: CFL