Students promote preservation of cultural relics

University students from Shanxi province take a pledge at the South Gate Plaza in the ancient city of Pingyao in Shanxi province prior to their departure on July 11.

Li Hongzheng, vice-deputy of the administrative committee of Pingyao ancient city, signs a shirt before the off, at the South Gate Plaza in the ancient city of Pingyao in Shanxi province prior to their departure on July 11.

Members of the team sign their names ahead of the marathon event at the South Gate Plaza in the ancient city of Pingyao in Shanxi province prior to their departure on July 11.

Li Hongzheng hands an event flag to team members at the South Gate Plaza in the ancient city of Pingyao in Shanxi province prior to their departure on July 11.

A cycling expedition team of university students from Northern China's Shanxi province, set off from the South Gate Plaza in the ancient city of Pingyao at the start of "Youth-Us-On the Road".

The activity, which began on July 11, is to promote the preservation of Chinese cultural relics, and organized by Ziyou, a Chinese online DIY-travel club. The exercise is being followed by the Shanxi branch of Ziyou's website and on WeChat.

There are five routes—Taiyuan (Shanxi province) to Lijiang (Yunnan), Taiyuan to Dali (Yunnan) via Zhangjiajie (Hunan), around the coastline of Bohai Sea (the innermost gulf of the Yellow Sea on the coast of the Northeastern China), Taiyuan to Tibet autonomous region via Lijiang, and the route around Qinghai Lake.

All riders are students at universities including Shanxi University, Taiyuan University of Science and Technology, Shanxi Architectural College and Taiyuan University of Technology.

The route from Taiyuan to Lijiang, highlights the preservation of ancient cities in China. The riders chose to start and end the ride in ancient cities that have been listed as World Heritage sites - Pingyao and Lijiang. The riders will spend 35 days riding 3,000 kilometers through Shanxi, Shaanxi, Sichuan and Guizhou provinces as well as Chongqing municipality.

Along the route, the young riders will carry out cultural studies of Pingyao, Xi'an (Shaanxi province), Dali (Yunnan) and Lijiang (Yunnan) ancient cities. They will also promote awareness of cultural relic preservation through diverse activities, including a signature campaign. All notes, video clips and data collected along the way will be presented as a social practice report on ancient cities at the end of the activity.

Selecting Pingyao as their starting point, the young riders also hope to promote the ancient city culture outside Shanxi province, attracting more people to know Shanxi culture. The riders have carried brochures and display boards introducing Pingyao ancient city and will distribute them along their route.