From June 6 to 7, members of the Humanities Research Team of the Peak Cloud Society at China Agricultural University conducted a trial research activity in Jiuyuan, Wangping Town, Mentougou. The activity not only prepared them for research in Tibet but also honed their ability to cooperate and divide tasks within the team.
It is said that Jiuyuan got its name because leeks were once abundantly grown in the village. The Jiuyuan Farmstead consists of four small mountain villages: Dongluopo, Xiluopo, Jiuyuan, and Qiao’erjian. The villages also feature cultural landmarks such as the Sanyi Temple, watchtowers, the Ancient Beijing-West Road, the former residence of Ma Zhiyuan, and the Niujiaoling Pass Fortress. It is hailed as the most beautiful village in Beijing. It was in this beautiful and quiet village that we carried out our research activities.
Members from the East Campus gathered at 6:30 a.m. on June 6, took the subway to Apple Park Station, and met up with those from the West Campus before taking a bus929to Jiuyuan. After taking a group photo, they headed straight to the pre-arranged accommodation, unpacked, laid out moisture-proof mats, and aired their sleeping bags. Then everyone wandered around the village to get familiar with the environment, and everything proceeded in an orderly fashion. At noon,12the female members began cooking. (Since the total food budget for the trip was50yuan, bringing personal food was not allowed. Our main staples were steamed buns and noodles.) After the lunch break, at two o’clock, everyone split into three groups to conduct research in Dongluopo, Xiluopo, and Qiao’erjian villages. By actively knocking on villagers' doors and chatting with them, the team learned about the village conditions. The main roles were lead questioner, assistant questioner, photographer, and note-taker.5Around eight o’clock, the three groups regrouped back at the accommodation to discuss their research findings, summarize the issues encountered during the investigation and how they were resolved, and finally organize the research materials. The results were very good, and everyone had their own insights on the research. After dinner, the team-building activities began — singing, playing games — helping to relax after the day’s tiring journey. Then came the heartwarming part: taking out a pre-prepared cake to celebrate a teammate’s birthday. Under the dim lights of the night, we sang the birthday song together, shared the cake, creating a lively and warm atmosphere.……Before going to sleep, everyone massaged each other to relieve the soreness from the day’s exertions. We felt as though we had become one big family.
The next morning, we got up at7o’clock, had a quick breakfast, and then8the re-grouped teammates resumed their research. Despite the blazing sun, no one complained of hardship or fatigue — everything felt so natural. With the experience from the first day, the second day’s research went even more smoothly. At noon,11we gathered to complete discussions, summaries, and organization of materials. After lunch and rest,2at [time missing], we packed up and took the bus back to school.
This trial research activity was successfully concluded. Even though everyone munched on steamed buns, pickled vegetables, and sometimes went hungry — staring longingly at the cherry trees scattered throughout Jiuyuan (we respected the villagers’ labor and didn’t pick a single cherry) — and despite the scorching sun, we persevered. We deepened our team chemistry and spent a joyful, unforgettable time together — a beautiful memory unique to us in this youthful chapter of our lives.
