NANCHANG, China — Thirty-three international students from ten countries at our university joined the Love Our Heroic City, Joy Run on Longxing Bridge event in Nanchang on the morning of December 28. The run served as an energetic welcome to the upcoming year 2026 and offered the students a firsthand, immersive experience of the city's rapid modernization and development.
Starting from the Gaoxin District, the students embarked on their journey north along the bridge approach. Against the backdrop of the wide bridge deck, the brisk river wind, and the ever-expanding skyline on both banks of the Gan River, the scene presented a vivid tableau where modern urban landscapes met natural beauty.
The chance to run on such a magnificent new bridge was incredible. I felt a true sense of openness and freedom, but more than that, witnessing the sheer scale of Nanchang's construction firsthand was truly awe-inspiring. It's a powerful testament to the city's pace of growth, shared an excited BOURZIK RIM, a student from Morocco.
As the stream of runners converged on the bridge, the flowing crowd complemented the towering buildings and lush parks lining the riverbanks, creating a dynamic portrait of urban vitality. Kong Junhui, a participant from Madagascar, was deeply moved by the spectacle. Running across the river with tens of thousands of people was a first for me. The sheer scale and collective energy of the event will be permanently etched in my memory of China. During the run, I felt as if I could almost touch the pulsating rhythm of Nanchang's progress, he reflected.
More than just a display of health and vitality for the university's international community, this running event provided a tangible, living classroom for students to connect with and comprehend China's ongoing urban transformation.
