More than 140 young people of Chinese descent from 17 countries gathered in Xuzhou, Jiangsu, from July 20 to 23 for a journey into Chinese history, culture and traditions.

Rather than simply observing, the participants got hands-on with a range of traditional crafts and cultural experiences.

At the Han Dynasty Terracotta Warriors Museum, they tried their hand at making Han-style armor, aligning replica armor plates and threading leather cords through the holes to assemble the pieces. In Yaowan Ancient Town, they learned the traditional art of woodblock printing.

The participants also explored Xuzhou's intangible cultural heritage. Under the guidance of a local paper-cutting master, they used scissors to create intricate peony designs.

The trip also offered a glimpse into China's manufacturing prowess. At the XCMG Intelligent Manufacturing Exploration Center, participants gathered around a large screen to try a simulated construction machinery driving experience.

At the Jiangsu Model and Art Vocational School, they learned traditional Chinese dance.

Pan Shili, who lead the group from a Chinese-language school in Florence, Italy, said the Xuzhou program gave young overseas Chinese a chance to experience Chinese culture firsthand and deepened their connection to their ancestral homeland.