20 Days Educational Tour—Beijing/ Datong/ Pingyao/ Qufu/Suzhou/ Hangzhou/ Shanghai

Arrive in Beijing, the capital city of China, once political centre of many dynasties, and centre of traditional Chinese culture and learning. You will meet your tour guide and driver at the airport before heading to your hotel. Check in at the hotel, and take a rest to adjust to jet lag or do some preparation for tomorrow’s journey.

• Hotels: Beijing Double Happiness Courtyard Hotel

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We’ll begin the day with a visit to Tian’anmen Square, where daily flag raising and lowering ceremonies are held, and a place where quite a number of major political and historical events happened. Across this enormous square, moving on to Forbidden City, solitary home to two dynasties of imperial power. Travel back in time to olden days of Beijing, if ignoring crowds of visitors passing by, as you travel through those imposing yellow-tiled buildings with your private guide. Stopover at Treasure Gallery, where you can find some of the most vital collections of ornamental valuables in the palace. After an authentic dim sum lunch, admire drum and bell towers, bike through Beijing’s old hutong alleys and visit a local family there. Watch a cricket fight or learn the past of a collection of old items with which most are no longer in use today, and hear demonstration on call of Beijing merchants by a local. From here, rest of the day is yours to rest, perhaps spending the night to watch kung fu show at Red Theatre or Peking Opera performance at Liyuan Theatre.

Featured Dinner (Optional): Peking Roast Duck at Dadong Peking Duck or Qianmen Quanjude Peking Duck

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,

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Take your leisurely breakfast before visiting a supreme Chinese architecture complex. Temple of Heaven is where emperors performed vital rites in praying for good harvest or worshipping the god. Stroll this area to study the layout and characteristic of these architectures. Encounter groups of elderly exercising and performing some stunning athleticism. In the afternoon, take a 1.5 hour drive to Mutianyu Great Wall, one of the most well-preserved sections of the Great Wall of China. A section that provides splendid surrounding landscape and majestic view of wall snaking through mountains. You will take chairlift up the wall and zoom down with toboggan. Return to city area, feel free to relax and enjoy dinner on your own.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,

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Set off for one of the largest royal garden in China, Summer Palace. Appreciate its exquisite architectures and cruise the Kunming Lake in the garden for fascinating views. Then, visit Beijing Zoo on your way back to city area. There are more than 500 species of rare wild animals in the zoo. A stop to visit those adorable giant pandas in Panda House is available. Later, return to your hotel for a relaxing evening on your own.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,

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This morning, we’ll kick off the day with a visit to Panjiayuan Market where you can find replicates of many famous historic relics. See if you can identify some of them. Then, pay visit to China Railway Museum where you can find plenty of Chinese locomotives and railway systems on exhibition. After lunch, you will catch your train to Datong. Arrive in Datong, meet your local guide and driver before moving to your central located hotel. You will have the evening to explore on your own.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,
• Hotels: Howard Johnson Jindi Plaza Datong, Yunzhong Inn, Datong Xinyu Crown Hotel

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This morning, we’ll drive west passing those dry land and to one of China’s most supreme example of Buddhist cave art. The magnificent arts of Yungang Grottoes are hard to describe into words. This cave complex began from Tang dynasty. Located on the ancient Silk Road, frescoes and carvings are in abundance, influencing by designs from Indian, Persian and Greek. Then, visit an underground coal mine that is no longer functioning. Datong is known as the city of coal and is the largest coal energy base in China. Study the history of coal-mining industry in Datong and some features and functions of the coal mine. On your way back to the city area, stopover at the ancient city of Datong and visit Huayan Temple there. This temple is the largest and most well-preserved Liao and Jin dynasties temple. First built during Liao dynasty (907–1125AD) and was rebuilt during Jin dynasty also known as Jurchen dynasty (1115–1234AD), layout of this temple is different from most temples in China. Appreciate its intricately painted murals and carved figurines. Enjoy the rest of the afternoon and evening on your own, perhaps checking out the remaining parts of the ancient city.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,

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We’ll kick off the morning with a visit to Shanhua Temple in Datong Ancient City. This temple was a national temple built by government during Tang dynasty (618–907AD), though the buildings you see now are rebuilt during Jin dynasty. Similar to Huayan Temple, this temple has its beautiful wall paintings and exquisite Buddhist statues. Next, drive to Pingyao ancient town. Stopover at Hanging Temple which is a 5th-century wooden temple unusually built into the side of a sheer cliff. This temple consists of 40 rooms linked by a dizzying maze of passageways. Interestingly, the temple is dedicated to three religion, with Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism all practised within the temple. Arrive in Pingyao Ancient Town and settle into your hotel in the heart of the ancient town. From here, rest of the day is yours to relax, wander and dine on your own.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,
• Hotels: Pingyao Hongshanyi Hotel, Pingyao Yide Hotel, Pingyao Yunjincheng Hotel

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Today, we’ll venture into a magnificent ancient residence located southwest of Pingyao Ancient City. Wang Family Courtyard is more like a castle than cosy home. This grand Qing dynasty former merchant’s residence is still beautifully maintained. Enjoy your lunch at a local restaurant before wander through Zhangbi Ancient Castle and explore its network of defence tunnels stretching underground for 10km. These tunnels are estimated to be 1,400 years old, and today, only 1,500 metres of tunnels on three levels have been restored. Later, you will have the chance to make a cloth tiger on your own under the guidance of a master. Return to your hotel and have the night on your own.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,

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After your leisurely breakfast, we’ll spend the day exploring Pingyao Ancient Town. It is the best-preserved ancient walled town in China. Climb the imposing city wall for a panorama view of the entire town. Stroll the red-lantern-hung Mingqing Street where shops and mansions here retain the patterns of Ming and Qing dynasties. Find Rishengchang Bank, the earliest notes bank in China on the street before taking your own time wander every lanes and corner of this fascinating town. From here, take the rest of the day to explore the still living and breathing community in this old town and appreciate its age-old charms. A one hour Jin Opera performance is available as an option for you to spend the night.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,

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Following your breakfast, take your private transport to Taiyuan train station for your train to Qufu. Arrive in Qufu, your guide and driver will then transfer you to your hotel. Enjoy the rest of the time on your own, perhaps taking a stroll at nearby Yihe Park if you are staying in Shangri-La Hotel, or checking out the surrounding historic area if you are staying in Queli Hotel located in Confucius Scenic Area.

• Meals: Breakfast,
• Hotels: Queli Hotel Qufu, Shangri-La Hotel Qufu

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Qufu City is the birthplace of Confucius and center of Confucianism. Today, we’ll visit three Confucius related places. Temple of Confucius in Qufu is the most renowned temple of Confucius in China. These temples were first built in 478BC during Spring and Autumn Period to commemorate Confucius, the great philosopher, politician and educator in ancient China. The temples has been destroyed and reconstructed over centuries. Today this complex comprises of more than a hundred buildings. Cemetery of Confucius is where Confucius and many of his descendants have been buried. Lying to the east of the Temple, Kong Family Mansion developed from a small family house linked to the temple into an aristocratic mansion in which the male direct descendants of Confucius lived and worked. Gain deeper understanding of Confucianism and the background of Confucius.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,

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In ancient Chinese culture, students needed to be all rounded and were required to master six classic disciplines called the “Six Arts”. “Six Arts” according to Confucius are ritual, music, archery, chariot-riding, calligraphy and computation. In the morning, you will participate in one to two of the sessions in relating to “six arts”: calligraphy writing, Chinese martial art, tea ceremony, archery, stone rubbing and playing guqin which is an ancient plucked seven-string Chinese musical instrument. In the afternoon, stroll Six Arts City. Six Arts City is a theme park displaying the thought, teaching and life of Confucius (551-479BC) and the folk culture of ancient Lu State. Lastly, visit Wuyu Altar where ceremonies performed by rulers in praying for rain during droughts were held.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,

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Today, we’ll hit the road early for train from Qufu to Suzhou. Arrive in Suzhou, which has been described as ‘paradise on earth’ for centuries. Upon arrival, meet your Suzhou guide and driver, drive to Humble Administrator’s Garden, largest classical Chinese garden in Suzhou. First built in 1509, this garden of impressive scenery is filled with different style of bridges, pavilions, lotus ponds and bonsais. After lunch, head over to Panmen Scenic Area located at southwest corner of the city which is surrounded by city moat. This tranquil part of the city is dotted with bell towers, pavilions, ancient temple and Ruiguang Pagoda. Far less crowded than those Chinese gardens at central area, a place for a leisure stroll. In the evening, stroll down Pingjiang Road, a historic road with a history of more than 2,000 years, even though the housings you see now are no longer their original form. Later, check in at your hotel and have the rest of the time yours.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,
• Hotels: Hyatt Regency Suzhou, Shangri-La Hotel Suzhou, Tonino Lamborghini Hotel Suzhou

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We’ll begin the day with a visit to Suzhou Silk Museum. This museum unfolds the history of silk production and Suzhou embroidery from around 2,000BC. Interestingly, spot a room exhibiting live silk worms eating mulberry leaves and spinning cocoons. Next, learn Su-style embroidery at Suzhou Embroidery Institute. Rest of the day is yours to explore the city streets.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,

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Water towns of eastern China near Shanghai are renowned for their pretty whitewashed houses, arched stone bridges and bustling canal-side streets. Tongli is one of the most famous water town, and we’ll spend the day here. This water town was founded more than 1,000 years ago during song dynasty. Up till today, its beautiful canal scenery and traditional waterside lifestyle are still well-preserved, attracting countless of visitors every year. Almost every residence is built on or by a canal, with stone bridges from Song, Yuan, Ming, Qing dynasties over the canals, linking those islets. Stroll the shop and residence lined streets and cruise the town down those winding water canals. Take 1.5 hour bullet train to Hangzhou. Meet your local guide and driver at the train station and drive to your central located hotel. Check in at the hotel.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,
• Hotels: Banyan Tree Hangzhou, Four Seasons Hotel Hangzhou at West Lake, Wyndham Grand Plaza Royale Hangzhou

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We’ll kick off the day with a tea culture trip to a nearby tea plantation to experience tea leave picking and learn the art of tea making. Then, move to Hangzhou’s most famous Buddhist temple, Yinglin Temple. It is located at the northwest side of West Lake. First built in 326AD, the temple was collapsed and rebuilt several time, with some of the buildings are rebuilt in the early 1900s. Take some time to admire these ornate halls and statues here. Nearby is Peak Flying from Afar, which is believed to be magically transported here from India according to legend. Intricate Buddhist carvings can be found here, dating from 10th to 14th centuries. On the northern shore of West Lake, stood an eye-catching golden-spire-topped pagoda called Leifeng Pagoda. This pagoda was first built in 977AD during Tang dynasty, and renovated in 2001 after it had collapsed in 1924. In the late afternoon, appreciated the mesmerising view of West Lake as you cruise slowly through the leisurely charm of a vignette. From here, you can enjoy rest of the evening on your own. Perhaps you can spend more time in the scenic area or watch Impression Hangzhou, which is a spectacle of light, music, dance and theatrics staged entirely on the lake itself.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,

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This morning begins at China Knives, Scissor and Sword Museum, where exhibit a unique culture of Chinese traditional weapons and daily tools. Head over to Yunxi Zhujing Scenic Resort in West Lake Scenic Area near the bank of Qiantang River. Brave through sea of bamboo forest and enjoy a moment of tranquillity here. Then, we'll journey northeast to Shanghai on a bullet train. Meet your tour guide and driver at Shanghai train station before heading to your hotel. Check in at the hotel and rest of the time is yours.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,
• Hotels: Four Seasons Hotel Pudong Shanghai, Grand Hyatt Shanghai, JW Marriott Hotel Shanghai at Tomorrow Square

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Shanghai is home to world’s second tallest tower and copious architectural styles. Start the day with a leisurely stroll at Fuxing Park. It is one of the most popular parks in Shanghai, offering a moment of tranquillity from the hustling city streets. Located on people’s square, we’ll visit Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Centre for a better understanding of the city’s municipal layout and blueprint for its long-tern planning for urban development. Then, move on to Jade Buddha Temple that was founded in 1882 with two jade Buddha statues imported to Shanghai from Myanmar. In the afternoon, take Pujiang Cruise to tour the cityscape and neck-craning colossi from South Bund to Yangpu Bridge. Up Shanghai World Financial Centre (94th, 97th and 100th floor) for a panorama view of the central area of Shanghai. At the end, amble along Huangpu River down promenade of The Bund. At night, you can choose to watch Shanghai acrobatic show ERA: Intersection of Time, or SPIRAL (optional).

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,

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Spend the day experience life of locals at Caoyang New Village. Activities include visiting kindergarten or old folks home, strolling local wet market, family visit, learn to prepare Chinese dishes, Chinese calligraphy writing or Chinese painting or paper cutting lesson. Tai Chi lesson is also available in the community if you want to include it in today’s tour. A wonderful chance that help student develop more compassion for people from different walks of life, inspiring them to work toward change and broadening their perspective greatly.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,

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Catch flights home or head to your next destination. Alternatively, opt to spend a few more days exploring Shanghai. Until the next adventure!

• Meals: Breakfast,

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