NYU Shanghai kicked off its 2024-25 “Chancellor’s Discover China Series” with a cycling tour around Hengsha Island. An avid biker, NYU Shanghai Chancellor Tong Shijun invited 30 students, 10 faculty, and 10 staff for a day-long bike ride to explore the cultural and ecological highlights of the island region off of Shanghai’s coast.
“I really want people to see China with our own eyes, and to not only see China, but also to feel China,” Chancellor Tong said before the ride. “I think to exercise, to enjoy open air, to explore new places together with our colleagues is a wonderful experience. And you need to have some context for people to interact with each other outside of work, and this trip provides that,” he added.
Under a cloudless October sky, the participants pedaled 24 kilometers, passing fields, marshes, and ponds, all while feeling the breeze in their hair.
“It was an amazing experience to bike on Hengsha Island and learn about the Yangtze River's water management and ecological farming,” data science and social sciences major Xu Zihan ’25 said. “Getting close to nature and enjoying the autumn sunshine and breeze while spending time with friends and meeting new people was truly refreshing. Moreover, it offered me a unique opportunity to glimpse a different lifestyle on Chongming Island and understand the importance of respecting and caring for nature.”
The first stop was the Yangtze River Flood Control Experience Museum, where a tour guide led them through an immersive exploration of Shanghai’s water infrastructure. Students learned about how water nourishes the Hengsha Island region. The highlight was an interactive experience showcasing the Fandiwei Pump Gate, which is responsible for controlling the distribution of water on the island. To understand how the pump gate works, students pedaled on a stationary bike connected to a small 3-D model of the pump gate. When 100% power was reached on the stationary bike, the pump gate opened and water was released, mimicking the pump’s actual function.
After touring the museum, it was back on the road, as students, faculty, and staff got to know one another while cycling the island.
“This trip is a great chance to meet new people,” said computer science major Jason Li ’27. “It’s nice to go outside of our campus and enjoy the environment and nature.”
Next stop was a walking tour of the Island Arts Park, a landscaped rice paddy set among a sea of flowers. The rice paddies are a natural home for crabs, and the crabs in turn eat insects, making chemical fertilizers unnecessary.
After a quick lesson on biodiversity and ecology, the bikers stopped at Ledao Restaurant 乐岛有食, a farm-to-table restaurant utilizing fresh vegetables and fruits from its 84-acre plot of land, including a wide range of vegetables, plants, and poultry.
The farm was a charming backdrop for a picnic lunch of farm-raised soy sauce duck, farm-grown taro, and fresh tree-ripened figs alongside a refreshing glass of hibiscus tea. Business major and NYU study away student Justin Strong ’28 said it was his first time riding a bike since middle school. “It was really fun,” he said.“Doing this with my friend who also loves riding bikes was a great chance for us to get outside and see the ecological environment outside of Shanghai.”
Finance and data science major Catherine Yi ’27 said she enjoyed a change of pace.. “I think it was really nice to step away from the hustle and bustle of the city and come into nature and be able to feel more of the local life than you can in the international city,” she said.
Looking toward the future, Chancellor Tong said he hopes to continue taking more NYU Shanghai community members on bicycle trips to see more of China.
“Besides Shanghai, I personally want to go to Zhejiang province, because I spent my childhood there,” he said. “I think the most important thing is to share the enjoyment of ideas, understanding one another, and the sense of community.”
