On 15 April 2023, 23 international students participated in an orienteering competition organised by the International College of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in the Summer Palace. The Summer Palace, as a historical and cultural site in China, has a long history and a deep cultural heritage. With the theme of "Exploring the beauty of the Summer Palace and experiencing Chinese culture", the event aimed to guide international students to gain a deeper understanding of Chinese culture and history, and to enhance their sense of identity with Chinese culture.

The event took place amidst the beautiful scenery of the Summer Palace with its glistening water and ancient trees. The participants were excited to receive their maps and orienteering cards and were enthusiastic about starting the competition. Participants of this event are from all over the world, representing different countries and cultural backgrounds. This event was also a cultural exchange experience for them to explore China. Participants were required to determine the attraction corresponding to the card based on the five cards provided and to check in all the challenge points completed within the time limit.  The front of the card is a picture of the attraction and the back is a description of the attraction in English and Chinese.

The orienteering covered a number of famous sites in the Summer Palace, such as the 17-hole bridge, the stone boat and the promenade. During the event, participants were not only required to tell the location of the punching points with the help of card tips, but also to work with their group members to plan an efficient  route. The event is also equipped with professional services such as volunteer guidance and security to ensure the safety of the participants.

A total of seven teams participated in the event, with each team consisting of two to four people, and two winning teams were selected at the end. In the course of the competition, the runners gave full play to the spirit of teamwork and collaborated with each other to solve the problems. The orienteering was a difficult one, with the runners having to overcome challenges of language, terrain and culture. When asked about their winning strategy, members of the champion team (Players) said they first guessed the five location right, and then used the map to plan a fastest route. "I would pick up the pace when there were fewer tourists and try to get ahead (of the other teams). Everyone was so competitive and the competition was really fierce."

When asked which check-in point was the hardest, Leshou Hall became their unanimous answer. "You can't recognize the name of the hall on this picture so you can't tell exactly what place it is by the picture alone." "The buildings in the Summer Palace all look so much alike that it was hard to find the right place." The captain of the runners-up (Fluffydemons) shared their winning tip with us, "When we saw that everyone in the group was confused, we went online and searched the Chinese and English descriptions so that we could pinpoint the attraction." In addition, they also asked the park staff to ensure that they went to the correct spot.

After the race, the participants said that exploring Chinese culture and history via orienteering was interesting, special and was a brand new experience. Through this event, the students gained a deeper understanding of Chinese culture and were enchanted. They would share this wonderful experience with their families and friends. International students also  said they hoped to participate in more activities like this in the future.

On 15 April 2023, 23 international students participated in an orienteering competition organised by the International College of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in the Summer Palace. The Summer Palace, as a historical and cultural site in China, has a long history and a deep cultural heritage. With the theme of "Exploring the beauty of the Summer Palace and experiencing Chinese culture", the event aimed to guide international students to gain a deeper understanding of Chinese culture and history, and to enhance their sense of identity with Chinese culture.