Mission
We build communities for critical thinking, discussion, and collaborative learning among young people facing unequal access to education in China's cultural plains.
Vision
More cities, more possibilities for education
Programs
Using roundtable liberal education across summer, winter, and online co-learning.
Core Program
Zhihe NEXUS's flagship program. Facilitators stay in a city for about ten days of summer camp. After training, each designs an original course centered on text reading and discussion, with two to three hours of class daily.
Core Program
A condensed reading camp during winter break, usually three to five days. Each facilitator leads one 2–3 hour discussion session, closer in form to a reading group or salon.
Year-round
Zhihe explores online formats to fill the gap outside summer and winter breaks. We host one public lecture or roundtable discussion each month on a specific theme, led by past facilitators.
Summer Reading Camp
2025 Zunyi Summer Camp · Opening Ceremony
Camp Life
Roundtable learning and closing moments during camp
Cultural Plain
“Cultural plains” refers to urban regions across China where cultural development lags behind economic growth. Compared with “cultural highlands,” the gap shows especially in cultural capital—arts, science, museums, libraries, theaters, and other infrastructure.
Zhihe camp locations since 2024
Voices
Each year, reading camp feedback exceeds our expectations—confirming that our direction is right.
「Every day at camp was fulfilling. Having a platform to think and then speak—to be heard by others, or to hear yourself—that feeling can only be called beautiful.」
「Past Zhihe experiences led me to hope it might heal me—but it gave me far more love and happiness than I expected, and as before, it continues to shape me deeply and lastingly.」
「Talking about the Republic and Nietzsche with a few people amid breeze and birdsong, discussing social construction and oral history, listening to excellent seniors on morality, philosophy, life and expression—nothing is more captivating than minds meeting in collision and fusion.」
Strength
At in-person camps, Zhihe NEXUS has never charged tuition, subsidizing necessary costs through annual sponsorship where possible. Even if scale grows and cost recovery becomes necessary, our nonprofit nature will not change.
Facilitators pass multiple rounds of strict screening and training each year. We receive hundreds of applications; final acceptance is about 50%, with an average of 15 hours of training to ensure course quality.
Zhihe NEXUS brings together facilitators from overseas and domestic universities. Those abroad offer different perspectives; those from top domestic schools understand the educational needs of students outside first-tier cities.
Toward the plains together
Contact email
alexisprotopia@gmail.com