Ju Haibo, 23, a student pursuing her master's degree at Dublin City University, Ireland, says: "Nyushu has opened a narrow but promising path. As we connect with each other, we heal together and feel seen and understood. I experienced a sense of inclusivity and happiness that I hadn't felt in a long time."

"I met wonderful people and felt a belonging I had long been seeking," says Tian Shuyu, 20, a student at St. John's University in the US.

After years of traveling in search of connection, both Tian and Ju often felt a sense of loneliness and found it difficult to build deep relationships. But on their trip to Jiangyong, they discovered how naturally emotional connections can arise.