At 7;30 a.m. on January 19, setting off from Nanyue District, a student cycling team, from Cycling Association of Peking University (hereinafter referred to as CAPU), arrived at Shigu Academy at 1 p.m. for the profound history and charming culture of the millennium academy. From Changsha on January 16, the team cycled 215 kilometers and then reached Shigu Academy via Shaoshan City, Xiangxiang City, Hengshan County, Nanyue District and other areas.

That afternoon a reporter saw 11 university students pulling a flag and taking photos in front of the Hejiang Pavilion at Shigu Academy. Having been attracted by their vigorous and healthy images, many citizens even came to help them take pictures and sighed that university students’ cycling activity was very meaningful and worth praising.

“We all love riding; that’s why we get together.”The cycling team is one of the groups in the CAPU 2024 Changsha-Guilin Winter Tour, consisting of 6 boys and 5 girls coming from all over the country, who all love cycling with different grades and majors.

Why take Hengyang as a stop on your winter cycling tour? The team leader Liu Sirui, a 2020 student at Peking University Law School, told the reporter, "The selection of winter tour routes is through submission and collection. Finally we chose the Changsha-Guilin route. In the route, Hengyang, a famous historical and cultural city, is known for Mount Heng, Shigu Academy and Hengyang Defense Battle. Therefore, we decided to experience the culture of Hengyang. Besides, there happens to be a member in the group who is from Hengyang, so we would like to come to his hometown to have a look as well.”

Tang Ruicheng, a Hengyang native in the cycling team, is a freshman in the 2023 class of the School of Chemical and Molecular Engineering of Peking University. He came back to his hometown of Hengyang in his first winter cycling tour after joining CAPU.

“Why do the scenic spots in Hengyang, such as Huiyan Peak and Laiyan Pagoda, carry the character of Yan?”asked the team members curiously. Tang introduced to them the allusion of northern wild geese flying south as well as the wild goose culture of Hengyang, and also took them to taste local specialties such as Hengyang rice noodles with fish, Hengdong local dishes and so on.

“ ‘Wild geese toward Hengyang intend not to stay.’ Finally we arrived at Hengyang in the ancient Chinese poetry. ”Cao Sansheng, a 2022 student from Peking University’s School of Physics, said, “Riding in Hengyang, we enjoyed the fantastic natural scenery and the charming culture of Shigu Academy, felt the hospitality of Hengyang people, and also tasted many local specialties. All of these are definitely worth the trip.”

Translator: Jing