China: Empire, Revolution, Renewal and beyond
Beijing - Xi'an - Guilin - Yangshuo - Shanghai - HangzhouWith five thousand years of recorded history, sixty years of revolution and reform, and one-fifth of the world’s population, China is the country of the past, present and future. It is a land of authentic palaces and palaces-as-theme-parks, of Great Walls, great art, and great food. In the last one hundred years it has experienced imperial rule, republican revolution, foreign invasion, communist revolution, repression and reform – not always in that order.
This 21-day, five-city tour to Beijing, Xi’an, Guilin, Shanghai and Hangzhou will include visits to historic, religious, scenic and cultural sites with significance from classical times to the post-modern. Along the way, Linda Jaivin, well-known author and public speaker with a specialty in Chinese culture, will deliver talks on such diverse subjects as make-up regimes of the Tang Dynasty, the Cultural Revolution and its cultural legacy and Chinese art, literature and film.
ITINERARY:
Saturday 17 October 2009: Australia - Beijing
Depart Sydney or Melbourne on Cathay Pacific Airways to Beijing via Hong Kong. On arrival in Beijing, transfer to your hotel.
Sunday 18 October Beijing
Start your exploration of Beijing, the capital of five imperial dynasties as well as the People’s Republic of China by visiting two landmarks at the city’s traditional geographic centre: Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. Covering over 40 hectares, Tiananmen Square is the largest public square in the world. Created as a military parade ground after the overthrow of the last dynasty in 1911, it has been the site of demonstrations, celebrations and political incidents for nearly a hundred years. To the north lies the Gate of Heavenly Peace and Forbidden City, to the west, the Great Hall of the People and to the east, the China National Museum. In the middle of the square stands the Monument to the People’s Heroes and the mausoleum where Chairman Mao lies in state.
After a welcome lunch with Linda Jaivin, visit the Imperial Palace. With some buildings dating back to the 15th Century, the palace is an immense and magnificent complex of pavilions, courtyards, gates, ceremonial halls and imperial residences, gardens and lakes, with the Forbidden City at its heart.(B,L)
Monday 19 October: Beijing
Morning visit to the Temple of Heaven. Built between 1406 and 1420 as the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, The Temple of Heaven covers 273 hectares and is a superb example of imperial Chinese architecture; the main structure was built without a single nail or peg. Like the city itself, the Temple grounds are laid out according to a sacred geometry based on the requirements of imperial ritual. Continue to Liu Li Chang, site of the original factory which produced the glazed roof tiles for the Imperial Palace and now a street of shops selling curios, calligraphy, paintings and books.
After lunch, visit the Beijing City Planning Museum at Qianmen. We then walk along a portion of the restored Ming Dynasty-style city wall to the Red Gate Gallery, located in the ancient Dongbianmen Watchtower. Opened in 1991 by Australian Brian Wallace, Red Gate is one of Beijing’s foremost art galleries selling contemporary Chinese art. Afterwards, those still keen on walking may stroll along a portion of the restored Ming Dynasty-style city wall. (B,L)
Tuesday 20 October: Beijing
After breakfast explore a slice of ‘old Beijing’ with a visit to the ‘Back Lakes’ area, one of the few remaining traditional hutong (laneway) neighbourhoods in Beijing. Lined with old style siheyuan, courtyard residences, it is a major tourist attraction and the site of numerous lakeside bars and cafes popular with locals.
Continue to Gongwangfu, Prince Gong's Residence, the largest and best-preserved princely residence open to the public and a gem of architectural and historical significance.
End the day with a visit to the Lama Temple, one of the most renowned Tibetan Buddhist temples in China outside the Tibetan regions. (B,L)
Wednesday 21 October: Beijing
Morning visit to the Summer Palace (Yiheyuan). Located 10 kms north-west of central Beijing, Yiheyuan was the summer retreat of the imperial family during the Qing Dynasty. It is renowned for its architectural grandeur and stunning natural beauty. The large man-made Kunming Lake makes up three-quarters of the total area of 290 hectares. Overlooking it on Longevity Hill is complex of imperial residences rebuilt by the Dowager Empress Cixi in the late 19th century.
Remainder of the afternoon at leisure. Tonight see a Peking Opera performance. (B)
Thursday 22 October: Beijing
Mao famously said: ‘If we don’t make it to the Great Wall, we are not heroes.’ We will be heroes. Full day tour to the recreated section of the Great Walls of China at Badaling, 80 km from Beijing. The Great Walls of China are a series of fortifications - walls, beacon towers and watchtowers - erected and maintained between the 5th Century BC and the 17th Century AD across shifting borders. They stretch over some 7,000 km. In one 10 year period alone, 3,000,000 labourers and 300,000 soldiers worked on the Walls. They are a poignant reminder of the power, territorial aspirations and follies of China’s ancient rulers.
Enjoy lunch at the extraordinary Commune by the Wall – a boutique hotel and 12 private contemporary residences designed by 12 leading Asian architects. (B,L)
Friday 23 October: Beijing
Today visit the Old Summer Palace, the Yuanmingyuan (the Garden of Perfect Brightness), which has risen out of ruins to become a theme park of its former self. The Garden was first constructed in the early 18th Century with the help of French and Italian Jesuit architects for successive emperors of the Qing Dynasty. In 1860 it was looted and burned by Anglo-French troops. The ruins long stood as a symbol of foreign aggression; in the early post-Mao period they were a favourite haunt of poets, artists and lovers. Now, the Yuanmingyuan has been controversially, and fascinatingly restored. Remainder of the day at leisure. (B)
Saturday 24 October: Beijing
Morning visit to the official China Art Gallery before continuing to the 798 Art Space. "798" is located in the Dashanzi area, to the northeast of central Beijing. It was originally the location of state-owned, army-run factories including one called Factory 798.
Beginning in 2002, when the shift to market economy forced unprofitable state enterprises to seek new sources of income, artists and cultural organizations began to rent out and re-make the factory spaces into galleries, studios, design workshops, bookshops, lofts, cafes and bars, preserving some of the old Cultural Revolution slogans on factory walls for a touch of Communist chic. A showcase for contemporary art, architectural renovation and innovation, and Chinese urban lifestyle "798" makes for a fascinating counterpoint to ‘old Peking’. This evening enjoy a Peking Duck dinner. (B,D)
Sunday 25 October: Beijing – Xi’an
Transfer to the airport for the flight to Xi’an, the capital of Shaanxi province. Known as Chang’an in ancient times, Xi’an was the capital of 13 dynasties, including the Zhou, Qin, Han, Sui, and Tang. Its long history has left a legacy of fascinating historical sites and unique and precious cultural relics. It was the birthplace of a united China and the beginning point of the Old Silk Road linking China to Europe via India and the Middle East. Start your exploration of Xi’an with a visit to the Blue Dragon Temple before this evening’s Tang Dynasty Dinner Show, a performance of music and dance recreated with reference to historical records and the art and relics of Chinese culture’s golden age. (B,D)
Monday 26 October: Xi’an
Full day tour to the Terracotta Warriors and the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. The “Terracotta Warriors” – life-size figurines of armoured warriors, officials, acrobats, and musicians as well as horses and chariots arranged in battle formation - are located near the Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China (died 209 BC). The main vault contains over 6,000 figures.
On return to Xi’an, visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, built to honour the legendary monk Xuan Zang. Xuan Zang’s travels to bring the sacred Buddhist texts from India to China are the subject of the famous novel Journey to the West, better known as Monkey. First built in 652 AD and like many famous Chinese monuments renovated countless times since, the seven-storey, square pavilion-like structure (64.1 m high) is considered a masterpiece of Buddhist architecture. (B,L,)
Tuesday 27 October: Xi’an
Today explore the city of Xi’an. First see the Ming Dynasty city wall, the largest and best-preserved city wall in China, surrounded by a moat and featuring corner towers and city entrance gates. Visit the fascinating Shaanxi Provincial History Museum, with its famous collection of cultural treasures and see the Great Mosque (742 AD) and ancient Drum and Bell Towers (1380). Afternoon at leisure. Take a stroll around the Muslim Quarter with interesting architecture, wonderful food and great shopping. Tonight enjoy a dumpling dinner. (B,D)
Wednesday 28 October: Xi’an - Guilin
In the morning visit Tang Paradise, a new theme park dedicated to showcasing Tang Dynasty (618-907) culture in all its glory, including poetry, food, song, dance and women’s lifestyles.
Transfer to the airport for the flight to Guilin. Guilin is considered to be the pearl of China. The stunning landscape has inspired countless painters and poets, one of whom, Tang poet Han Yu (768-824) famously likened the river to a green silk belt, and the hills to blue jade hairpins. (B,D)
Thursday 29 October: Guilin
Full day tour focusing on Guilin’s natural beauty including Elephant Trunk Hill and Reed Flute Cave, which with its enchanting stalagmites, stone pillars, stele, stone curtains and stone flowers is nicknamed Nature's Museum of Art. The easy climb up Piled Silk Hill provides a scenic view of Guilin city.
After lunch visit a tea plantation. (B,L)
Friday 30 October: Guilin - Yangshuo
Cruise the Li River from Guilin to Yangshuo and enjoy the charming beauty of this unique landscape – the green mountains, limpid waters, deep pools and waterfalls. The banks of the river are lined with fishing villages, farmland and bamboo groves. See water buffalo, ducks and fishermen who fish the well stocked river with the help of cormorants. (B,L)
Saturday 31 October: Yangshuo - Shanghai
Transfer to Guilin airport for the flight to Shanghai.
Afternoon tour of Shanghai, a city whose history is inseparable from that of modern China. Originally a fishing village, Shanghai became a thriving entrepot in the late 19th century when colonial powers carved it up into ‘concessions’ under foreign rule. In the 1920s and 1930s ‘the Paris of the East’ was home to tycoons, gangsters, communists, writers, refugees, filmmakers, the very rich and the very poor. Visit the historic waterfront Bund, lined with grand European-style architecture from the early 20th Century. The Pearl Orient Tower houses an Observation Tower with spectacular views of the city and the Museum of the History of Shanghai. (B,D)
Sunday 01 November: Shanghai
In the morning visit the Shanghai Museum. This extraordinary building is shaped like a bronze tripod and houses one of the world’s top collections of ancient and modern Chinese art and artefacts.
Later, drive and walk through the former French Concession and visit the 400-year old Yu Yuan Garden. Originally constructed in 1559, and badly damaged during the Opium Wars of the 19th Century, the meticulously reconstructed garden preserves its classic beauty; it features traditional Chinese architecture, miniature lakes, bridges and rock formations. Tonight take in a breathtaking acrobatic display. (B,L)
Monday 02 November: Shanghai
Day at leisure to further explore Shanghai. Enjoy dinner at M on the Bund. Its magnificent terrace provides unforgettable views of the Bund and Huangpu river. (B,D)
Tuesday 03 November: Shanghai – Hangzhou
Transfer to the railway station to catch the train to Hangzhou. One of the six ancient capitals of China, Hangzhou’s centrepiece is the picturesque scenery of the West Lake, beloved by emperors, poets, painters and Communist rulers alike. Afternoon tour of the lake. (B,D)
Wednesday 04 November: Hangzhou
Full day sightseeing in Hangzhou. Starting with the Six Harmonies Pagoda, a masterpiece of Chinese architecture. Continue with a visit to the National Silk Museum the largest museum dedicated to silk culture in the world. End the day at the Longjing (Dragon Well) Tea Village, where some of China’s most famous tea – a favourite of emperors throughout the dynasties - is grown and processed. (B,L)
Thursday 05 November: Hangzhou
Day at leisure in Hangzhou. Tonight enjoy a farewell dinner with Linda Jaivin. (B,D)
Friday 06 November: Depart Hangzhou
Transfer to Hangzhou airport for departure on Cathay Pacific Airlines connecting in Hong Kong with your flight to Australia. (B)
Saturday 07 November: Arrive Australia
Morning arrival in Sydney / Melbourne.
YOUR HOTELS ****
Beijing – Capital Hotel
Xian – Golden Flower Shangri-La Hotel
Guilin – Bravo Hotel
Yangshuo – Paradise Resort
Shanghai – Dong Hu Hotel
Hangzhou – Shangri-La Hotel
NB. Hotels of a similar standard may be substituted
