Participants visit the Memorial Hall to the Doolittle Raid in Quzhou. [Photo/WeChat account: quzhoufb]

Over 30 students and teachers from the University of California, Berkeley and Troy High School in the United States participating in a youth camp visited Quzhou in East China's Zhejiang province from June 16 to 18, leaving with deep impressions and fond memories.

Among the most moving experiences was the visit to the Memorial Hall to the Doolittle Raid in Quzhou and the former site of the 13th Air Station in Wangcun village.

In 1942, after a daring bombing raid on Japan, 75 US airmen led by Lieutenant Colonel James Doolittle were forced to bail out or crash-land in China after running out of fuel. The Chinese people rescued 64 of them, including those who recuperated in Quzhou.

Participants reflected on the shared history of China and the US during World War II, honoring the enduring friendship forged in those tumultuous times. In the village's Sino-US Friendship Forest, participants hung cards expressing hopes for deeper ties between the two nations.

Linda Liu, the group leader, said, "We not only experienced the city's rich historical and cultural heritage but also felt the preciousness of Sino-US friendship, which continues to grow through each exchange."

Participants experience Confucian culture at the Family Temple of Confucius in Quzhou. [Photo/WeChat account: quzhoufb]

During their visit, the group also immersed themselves in local culture, from experiencing the Confucian culture at the Family Temple of Confucius to enjoying farmers' paintings in Yudong village.

Xi'an Gaoqiang is a traditional form of opera in Quzhou, which was historically known as Xi'an. At the Xi'an Gaoqiang Opera Center, students eagerly learned traditional opera movements, filling their cultural journey with laughter and applause.