On Sept. 21, the 2025 Gen Z@FTP Hainan FTP International Students Content Creation Project Boot Camp (2nd Session) brought over 50 international Hainan Medical University students to Wanning to learn about the area’s tropical scenery and cultural context. The group visited the Xinglong Southern TCM Medicinal Herb Garden, Xinglong Tropical Botanical Garden, and Bali Village Scenic Area, where they were inspired by both the natural beauty and cultural traditions of the area, and brought the unique charm of Wanning to the world through their own lenses and perspectives.

Pakistani student Abdullah Waleed makes an herbal sachet. Photo provided by the organizers.

Around 10 AM, the students arrived at the Xinglong Southern TCM Medicinal Herb Garden, where they were struck by the beautiful landscape full of lakes, gardens, mountains, and scenic beauty. The vast expanses of tropical medicinal herbs in the Nanyao and Liyao Lake areas were truly breathtaking. In the Southern Medicinal Herb R&D Product Exhibition Area, the lecturers' explanations and educational presentations deepened the students' understanding of the Southern TCM Herb industry. The full process from raw material selection and extraction processing to the development of finished products such as pharmaceuticals, health supplements, and essential oil skincare products was laid out along with actual product displays, allowing everyone to intuitively appreciate the potential for the development of Southern TCM Herb resources.

Azmat Tehreem Ayesha (L) and Azmat Fatima Eeman (R), international students from Pakistan, display their newly painted fans. Photo provided by the organizers.

Students visit the Xinglong Southern TCM Medicinal Herb Garden. Photo provided by the organizers.

Students take a group photo at the Xinglong Southern TCM Medicinal Herb Garden. Photo provided by the organizers.

An interactive handcraft session brought even more excitement to the students, who broke off into two separate teams, with one group selecting a variety of southern TCM herbs to make herbal sachets, and the other painting fans in three different colors, creating unique, beautiful souvenirs. Although it was the first time for many of the students to attempt these arts, their focus and creativity made each handicraft special. “The handmade herbal sachets have a natural medicinal fragrance as well as a nice texture. This experience is very heartwarming.” Pakistani student Azmat Tehreem Ayesha looked very happy with her accomplishment as she held up her newly made herbal sachet.

In the afternoon, the students visited the Xinglong Tropical Botanical Garden, where they were dazzled by the wonders of the rainforest, snapping photo after photo of impressive buttress roots, a forest composed of a single tree, and fresh new flowers sprouting from aged branches. “I’ve seen the integration of traditional Chinese medicine and modern biotechnology here. Many TCM ingredients were used, which really impressed me,” said Ahmad Niqab, from Pakistan.

The students pose for a photo at the Xinglong Tropical Botanical Garden. Photo provided by the organizers.

The Xinglong Tropical Botanical Garden was founded in 1957 and is affiliated with the Spice and Beverage Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences. It was the earliest tropical botanical garden to open to the public in Hainan. The 42 hectare large park enjoys a tropical monsoon climate, and is home to over 3,200 tropical and subtropical plants in twelve major categories such as tropical cash crops, rare and endangered species, and well-known fruit trees, including tropical cash crops such as coffee, pepper, vanilla, and cocoa.

Pakistani student Ahmad Niqab at the Xinglong Tropical Botanical Garden. Photo provided by the organizers.

“There are lots of palm trees like this in my hometown.” The twin palm trees of the Xinglong Tropical Botanical Garden left a deep impression on Svay Kunth Pidor, from Cambodia.

Students enjoy herbal tea and Xinglong coffee at the Xinglong Tropical Botanical Garden. Photo provided by the organizers.

The last stop of the day, Bali Village, was a unique cultural experience for the students. The Southeast Asian style buildings, staff dressed in colorful folk attire, and unique handicraft shops made everyone feel like they had traveled to another country entirely. “It’s very similar to Bali, Indonesia. I saw Indonesian-style buildings and dances, and some people even spoke Indonesian. It made me feel very connected. Chinese and international culture is combined very well in Xinglong.” Oland Gifto Paembonan, from Indonesia, happily announced that during the Southeast Asian interactive performance, he danced to the infectious music with descendants of returned overseas Chinese.

The international students posed for a photo at the Bali Village Scenic Area. Photo provided by the organizers.

Indonesian student Oland Gifto Paembonan visits Bali Village in Xinglong, Hainan.

“There was so much to discover today! From the natural mysteries of the Southern TCM Medicinal Herb Garden to the ecological beauty of the Botanical Garden and the cultural customs of Bali Village, there were new surprises everywhere. I want to share online about Wanning with more people from around the world.”