Foreign students in awe of Beijing Central Axis

Despite their exhaustion, the sweltering summer heat and sweat-drenched bodies, more than a dozen international students could not conceal their excitement after completing a three-hour bike ride along the central axis of Beijing, each rushing to high-five their team leader.

At a session in India last month, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization inscribed the 700-year-old Beijing Central Axis, dubbed the "spine of the city's culture", on the World Heritage List. "This journey has been very good and it's very great to experience everything," said Callum Deighton, a student from the University of York, Britain, adding that he was amazed by the historic architecture along the central axis.

Deighton was among a group of students from different countries who joined a cycling course offered by the Peking University Summer School International 2024. During the one-month course last month, students had the opportunity to gain cycling knowledge and skills, while joining cycle tours to explore the ancient charm of Beijing.