for groups of ten or more; 14-Day
Sample Itinerary
Beijing,
Xian, shaolin Temple, Luoyang, and more...
Visit
the famous Historical cities and sights in China, learn
about Chinese culture, religion, and discover the
originate place of Taiji in Henan province.
This
is a special trip designed for all people who are interested in
Chinese culture, and history, and especially for Taiji Quan practitioners and fans.This expedition will allow you to visit many culturally and
historically rich places in China, giving you the opportunity to
gain an understanding of the atmosphere and background from which
Taiji Quan was born. The journey will lead you to some incredible sites
before you move on to the Chen Jia Gou in Wen Xian County, where you'll spend
a day watching performances from the villagers, receiving training
from the grandmaster, and visiting the original place where the
founder of Chen's Taiji Quan started about 600 years ago. This itinerary is ideal for
Taiji Quan students
and groups of professionals, and all people who are interested in
the Chinese culture, history and religion.
Day 1: International Flight,
U.S. to Beijing, Cross the Date Line
Days 2 -
5: Beijing
Day
2: Start your journey in Beijing, the capital of China,
dating back 3,000 years ago.Take
a twilight walk through Tiananmen Square, the largest square in the
world. In the evening, feast on the famous Peking Duck dinner, a
delicious banquet that Beijing is known for worldwide.
Day
3: At Jurong Pass near Beijing, you will have a chance to
walk on the 4,000 mile-long Great Wall.Built 2,200 years ago, it is considered one of the Seven
Wonders of the World.It is also the only man-made structure that can be seen from
the moon.From here,
you will travel to see the Ming Emperor Tombs and the extraordinary
Dingling Tomb. In the evening, relax and enjoy the Acrobatic
show.
Day
4: On your last day in Beijing, you will enter the Forbidden
City, the spectacular 580 year-old palace.This is the world’s largest imperial palace, housing over
999 rooms and halls filled with thousands of priceless relics.
Later,
you will visit the magnificent Temple of Heaven to marvel at the
wonders of the Min and Qing Dynasties.This temple was built in 1,420, a place for the emperors to
worship heaven and to pray for good harvests.
Day
5: today,
you will visit
the 800 year-old Summer Palace, which boasts the
largest garden in China.
Here
the imperial family of the Qing Dynasty relaxed at
their summer residence and managed government affairs.Walk the long corridor along the river and enjoy the
beautiful
overhead
paintings. Overnight
train to Zhengzhou.
Day
6:
Zhengzhou
Zhengzhou,
the capital of the Henan Province, is a
prime example of the changing face of
China. Here you will see modern buildings
and shopping malls contrasted against a
background of ancient civilization.
The
Henan National Museum, whose modern
architecture resembles a Mayan
Pyramid, is the repository for 160,000
historic and prehistoric national
treasures,
including the world's earliest musical
instrument,
an 8,000 year old, perfectly tuned
bone flute. Wander through the fascinating
exhibits
and then
relax and listen to a musical performance
on ancient Chinese instruments dating back
over a 1,000 years.
Day
7:
Kaifeng(Traditional
Baozi Banquet)
On
your last day in China, you will enjoy an
excursion to Kaifeng, the ancient capital
of seven dynasties. During the Song
Dynasty 1,000 years ago, Kaifeng was the
richest and most culturally diverse city
in the world.
You’ll
be transported back to that time when you
visit the historical recreation of a Song
Dynasty city at Riverside Park. You’ll
experience daily Song life as you board an
ancient boat, explore the narrow streets,
cross the rainbow bridge, try your hand at
traditional crafts, participate in
ceremonies, and meet “officials” and
“residents” in
period costumes.
At
noon, you can enjoy the traditional dishes
of the Baozi Banquet.This banquet features many
different flavors of the local cuisine.
Kaifeng
has a wealth of historical sites. The
Buddha of A Thousand Hands and A Thouand
Eyes stands in the 1,000 year old Xiang
Guo Monastery. The famous Dragon Pavilion
was built on the ruins of the Song Palace.
It is also called the small forbidden
city. You’ll visit the thirteen story
high Iron Pagoda, made entirely of wood
with a brick exterior.It is called “iron” because
this pagoda has miraculously survived many
earthquakes and floods for almost one
thousand years.
Day 8:Bus to
Wen Xian County and visit Chen Jia Gou,
the original place where the founder of Chen Taiji Quan
started about 600 years ago.Watch
Taiji demonstrations performed by the villagers, and
receive training
from the grandmaster.
Day
9-11:Luoyang &shaolin Temple (Water Feast, Handed
Down from Tang Dynasty)
Historic
Luoyang was the capital of thirteen dynasties.Here, you will visit China’s very first Buddhist temple,
the 1,900 year-old White Horse Temple.You will also be able to see the Longmen Grotto, built 1,500
years ago; where 2,345 caves and more than 100,000 statues of Buddha
were carved from a solid rock mountain.The statues range in size from miniature (1inch high) to
giant-size (57 feet).
At
night, relax and enjoy the delicious delicacies of the Water Feast,
a banquet handed down by the Tang Dynasty empress. Be
delighted by the sights and sounds of ancient Chinese instruments,
played for you as you end your feast.
Day
10 & 11: Shaolin Temple(Amazing
Kung Fu demonstration by Shaolin monks)
At
last, your journey takes you to the 1,500 year-old Shaolin Temple,
the birthplace of Kung Fu, the mother of all martial arts.Here you will be stunned by an amazing live
Kung Fu demonstration, performed by the grandmasters and monks.In the Thousand Buddhas Hall, you can still see the
footprints of the monks stamped into the floor, a reminder of the
intensity of their training and practice.
Here,
you will be amazed by a live Kung Fu demonstration
performed by the Grandmasters and monks. Receive
Kung Fu training directly from the Shaolin Monks.Journey
into the surrounding Pagoda Forest, the largest forest of its type
in China.Here, 220
Shaolin monks are buried.The
forest is a favorite location for filming Kung Fu movies and it is
also the resting-place for many eminent Shaolin monks.
Day
12-13: Xian (famous for Terra Cotta Warriors)
Day
12: Xian, long ago known as Changan, was a major ancient
capital of China and has more than 3,000 years of history.
Today, you’ll visit the famous Museum of the Terra Cotta
Legion, built as a memorial to Qin Shihuang, the first emperor to
unite China. The 8,000-man clay army of warriors and horsemen,
complete with weapons, was ordered by the emperor as a young man,
and took decades to complete.
In
the afternoon, Visit Xian’s Goose Pagodas. The Big Goose
Pagoda houses the Buddhist manuscripts that Xuan Zhuang, an
eminent monk, brought back from an arduous voyage to India. The
Little Goose Pagoda, another part of the temple complex, is a
depository for many other Buddhist manuscripts.
Day
13: today, you will visit The Famen Temple which was built 2,200
years ago during the Eastern Han Dynasty. You’ll see important
Buddhist relics and the largest Buddhist underground palace,
discovered in 1987. It contains more than 2,400 treasures from the
Tang Dynasty court.
On
your visit to the mausoleums of the Han and Tang Dynasties,
you’ll see the resting-place of Wu Ze Tian, China’s only
empress.
Centuries
later, Xian was occupied by the Ming Dynasty. You’ll visit the
ruins of their ancient city walls.
Day 14: Fly from Xian to
Beijing, and International Flight from Beijing back to U. S.
Price:
$2895 per person/ Double occupancy
for groups of ten or more
Tentative
Dates: June 25-July 8, 2003
Dates may have
slight changes in order to adjust to airlines changes
Day
6:
Zhengzhou
architecture resembles a Mayan
Pyramid, is the repository for 160,000
historic and prehistoric national
treasures,
including the world's earliest musical
instrument,
an 8,000 year old, perfectly tuned
bone flute. Wander through the fascinating
exhibits
and then
relax and listen to a musical performance
on ancient Chinese instruments dating back
over a 1,000 years.
You’ll
be transported back to that time when you
visit the historical recreation of a Song
Dynasty city at Riverside Park. You’ll
experience daily Song life as you board an
ancient boat, explore the narrow streets,
cross the rainbow bridge, try your hand at
traditional crafts, participate in
ceremonies, and meet “officials” and
“residents” in
period costumes.
(Amazing
Kung Fu demonstration by Shaolin monks)
Day
12: Xian, long ago known as Changan, was a major ancient
capital of China and has more than 3,000 years of history.
On
your visit to the mausoleums of the Han and Tang Dynasties,
you’ll see the resting-place of Wu Ze Tian, China’s only
empress.