China Tours

Terracotta Army Museum, regarded as the '8 th Wonder of the World', is located at 30km east of Xi'an City. The site was discovered by farmers in 1974. It was created to guard Emperor Qin Shihuang's tomb that's to protect him in his afterlife in the mind of ancient Chinese. Three excavation pits have been opened to the public with a fourth underway. During his visit to China, US former President Clinton came to visit the dig. The fine troops, horses and carriages in battle formation are ancient art treasure and complete illustration of the history of Qin Dynasty.

Then comes to Great Wild Goose Pagoda. The site is where the sixty-four meter high multistoried brick structure erects. The pagoda was built in the Tang Dynasty in 652 AD to house and protect Buddhist scriptures collected in India by Xuan Zang, a famous Chinese monk. The Though simple, it is very much an appealing structure considering its sacredness especially to Buddhists. Besides, climbing the building rewards you with a bird-eye view of the whole city. We continue the trip to the nearby Ancient City Wall. It is the most complete city wall that has survived in China as well as one of the largest ancient military defensive systems in the world.

In the ancient city like Xi'an, the museum should be an indispensable part of your visit. Shaanxi History Museum is a showcase of the civilization from Emperor Qin Shihuang to the present day. The museum is housed in a striking Tang Dynasty-style pavilion and features an enormous collection of 113,000 historic and cultural relics.

Tibet, the roof of the world, remained unknown to the world until the beginning of the 20th century. Located on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, this land is encompassed by some of the world's highest mountains, several rushing rivers and many crystal lakes. With an average height of 4,000 meters above the sea-level, Tibet covers a massive 1,220,000 square kilometers, which is about 13% of the whole China. Located in the valley of the Lhasa River, Lhasa is the capital city of Tibet. In Tibetan language, the city's name means holy land. Due to the sufficient sunshine, it is regarded as the sunshine city.

For this most mystery and paradoxical land in China, you must hold more expectations than any other cities. After arrival at the airport, the terrain you could see as you approach your hotel is pretty special. Mountainous, but stark, any growth on these slopes has camouflaged colors of those gray or greens. Some distant peaks are snow capped and the odd turquoise lake is visible. Beautiful, but it looks to be such a hard land to live in. For the rest of day, please do not hurry to do any sightseeing at once. Instead of, taking a half-day rest to adjust yourselves to the altitude sickness for tomorrow's trip.

For the in-depth insight of this land and people, the morning will be spent to visit the Tibet Museum and Tibetan family. Tibet Museum has a rich collection od cultural relics, such as the objects of the prehistoric culture, hand copied classics in Tibetan language, colorful Tangkas, various musical instruments, handicrafts with distinctive ethnic characteristics, and pottery wares in unique style.

In the afternoon, the Sera Monastery will be a good choice as well. Sera means ‘Hailstone' in Tibetan, and legend tells that it hailed during the foundation of this famous monastery. The Sera Monastery is the last of the three principal Yellow Sect monasteries built in Lhasa . It is destined to be one of the most enjoyable afternoons of the whole trip. The setting itself is very beautiful and there are many cobbled alleyways, temples and colleges on a hill. One chapel will be strike you in particular: it houses only statues and paintings of Dark Goddesses with devouring humans. A solitary monk sits inside the chapel, banging a big drum and sounding a gong. The highlight will be watching a monks debating inside the shady courtyard behind the main temple. Every day, hundreds of red-robed monks assemble in small groups and practice their debating skills. It is a highly entertaining spectacle, during which they strike poses not dissimilar to hip hop rappers. They are clap, turn, and finger point, whoop, holler, and throw their prayer beads about. In most cases, one monk sits on the floor, while another one stands, and between them, they argue about Buddhist rituals - immensely enjoying their debates. As tourists you are allowed to walk around the edge and observe the very dynamic and animated monks asking and answering questions like ‘why', ‘what came first the chicken or the egg' and ‘who is your favorite Buddha'. The spectacle is just so fun-filled and high energy. It's a bit like a Sicilian market place, or a football match, increasing in volume all the time, and some of the monks are really good showmen, sometimes mischievously involving you in their debates, as if trying to get you onto their side.

Religion is such an important element of Tibetan life that it's hardly surprising most of the attractions are monasteries, temples and palaces. The awe-inspiring Potala Palace perched high above much of Lhasa, is definitely your good choice. The palace is a complex of political and religious function, which consists of the Red Palace, the White Palace and some attached buildings. The Red Palace contains various chapels and mausoleums for previous Dalai Lamas. The White Palace contains the living quarters of successive Dalai Lamas and their tutors. The offices of the old Tibetan government and their assembly halls are also located here. The Potala is full of elaborate artwork and frescos that tell many stories. They portray religious subjects as well as the customs and traditions of Tibet . Although you need to climb up, it will be richly rewarded for your efforts. Words may fail you to convey the scope of gold, pearls, carvings, gems, incense, monks, rooms, stairs that are in this incredible place. It is a pity that there are no photos allowed in the palace. However you would take photos by your eyes and embed them into your minds forever.

The local Tibetan lunch is very different from the previous cities, but you will find its specialist and enjoy it. In fact, the most popular cuisine in Tibet now is Sichuan Cuisine. Moreover there are also western-style restaurants in Lhasa. You are delighted to eat what Tibetan eats in Tibet. Then you will visit the Jokhang Temple in the afternoon. According to Legend the Jokhang Temple was built on the former site of a lake. However, every time a temple was built, it would collapse later. Confused by this phenomenon, Princess Bhrikuti turned to Wen Cheng, the Princess of Tang Dynasty, for help. Being a well-educated woman, Wen Cheng told the Princess that the geography of Tibet was very much like a hag, with the lake at the heart. In order to build the temple, Wen Cheng advised they must demolish the hag by filling and leveling the lake using 1,000 sheep to carry soil from a mountain far away. When the temple was done, it was called Ra-Sa-Vphrul-Snang ('ra' meaning sheep and 'sa' meaning earth in Tibetan) to commemorate those sheep. It was built by craftsmen from Tibet , China and Nepal and thus features different architectural styles. The three-level roof of the Jokhang offers splendid views of the Bhakhor Streets across to the Potala Palace. The golden roofs are superbly crafted with many birds, beasts, bells and other intricate figures. The Tibetan people are absolutely beautiful - very warm, friendly and welcoming. There are so many impressions and interesting and bizarre things happened every day in Lhasa .

Then you will spend a whole afternoon exploring Barkhor Street. The markets in Lhasa are on a scale quite unlike anything else you have seen. You can buy anything Tibet-related, from sacks of incense, chunks of yak butter to monk outfits. When walking along the Barkhor Street , you need to follow the clockwise direction. You see many Tibetan pilgrims in town taking part in the various koras (pilgrimage circuits): the Nangkor, Barkor, Lingkor and Potala. Maybe there are even others associated with various monasteries. They are devout Buddhists who perform these koras as a part of their lives and a means of gathering merit. They are from different parts of Tibet but still have a distinctive look - heavy, colorful clothes, dark-haired, hair plaited and braided with beads. They travel in family groups with a prayer-wheel in constant motion. Among these various koras you see many prostrating themselves, some doing this repeatedly on the spot and others prostrating every 3 paces until they have circumambulated the route.

It will take about 2 hours from Lhasa to Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan Province. The city was founded in 3rd century BC, when the Qin conquered all of China within two centuries. Chengdu flourished in the Han Dynasty and picked up its name of brocade city as it grew rich from the thriving silk brocade industry. Also known as the land of abundance, Chengdu boasts its pleasant climate and plentiful products.

The big draw of Chengdu is delicious Sichuan Cuisine and local snacks. Fortunately, you will have a chance to taste Hot Pot in Sichuan Style at night. Sichuan is famous for its spicy food, and one of its delicacies is the hot pot. It's where you have a pot of spicy broth boiling in front of you and you choose which ever food to cook. The Sichuan hot pot is a bubbling cauldron of extremely hot oil and water. Dip all kinds of food into the pot including meats, vegetables and tofu. It's a very social meal. People sit around to enjoy it and make a long evening out of it. As the saying goes, 'When in Rome, do as the Romans do', your trip of Chengdu is completed with eating the traditional spicy hot pot. After dinner, an optional Sichuan Opera is waiting for you. The opera is staged in a tea house so during the show you could enjoy tea and peanuts. There are the music, opera (scene from the book Romance of the Three Kingdoms), some solo music, a bit of comedy, acrobatics, shadow puppets, and the face changing and fire spitting. It is nice to see the colorful costumes, hear the unfamiliar sounds of the music, and watch the amazing act of shadow play. The part with the mask changers is really cool. They change their masks so fast that you could hardly be sure that it really did change! They obviously are masters of 'sleight of hand'.

What you could not miss in Chengdu is the world famous Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding which is located about 25km out of Chengdu City. This huge institution replicates the natural habitat of the giant panda and is dedicated to preserving and increasing their population so they will not become extinct. You are able to get real close-up to some pandas and photograph them as well as the so-called lesser red pandas which really look and act like raccoons. One of the biggest attractions is the panda breeding center where you can watch the baby pandas through glass in their playpens. You are not allowed to photograph the baby pandas, as the flash can hurt their eyes. Another highlight is the video you watch about the reserve and panda reproduction and learn how a panda gives birth to a baby cub. The baby just slides out and at the first time mothers don't know what it is, so it is common for them to accidentally kill the baby as they swat it around if the researchers can not help out in time. In all, it is nice to see all in the panda breeding center.

The guide will lead you to your next destination, Sanxingdui Museum, a modern theme museum which is 40km to the north of Chengdu. Quite different from the central culture of China, the ones showed at Sanxingdui Museum are precious cultural of mankind in south-west China existed between 2,800 to 800 BC. The museum houses some of ancient remains excavated near the present Guanghan City. Clues to this large and thriving culture were discovered by a farmer in 1929.

Jiuzhaigou Valley is located in the Aba Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, covering a land of natural beauty. This land features perennially snow-capped mountain peaks, verdant and lush forest, stretches of serene lakes, and various birds and animals, all contributing to the unique view of Jiuzhaigou.

The local people of Jiuzhaigou call these lakes ‘haizi', meaning little sea in Chinese. Jiuzhaigou has a total of 108 ‘haizi' of varying sizes and shapes, but of invariant limpidity to the bottom of the lakes. Some of the lakes are hidden in the valleys, and others inlay the virgin forests. On sunny days, algae and sediments at the bottom of the lakes send out colorful lights. The lakes, thus, have gained another name call ‘Wuhua Hai', meaning ‘multicolored sea' in Chinese from the locals.

A beautiful local legend has it that a very long time ago, there lived a beautiful and kind-hearted goddess in the mountain east of the Jiuzhaigou and an industrious and chivalrous god in the mountain west of the Jiuzhaigou. As time went by, they fell in love with each other. One day the god presented a big and shiny divine mirror to the goddess as a token a love. The goddess reached out to take it, but she was too exited and nervous to hold fast the mirror. Hence, the mirror slipped from her trembling fingers and dropped to the valleys, breaking into 108 pieces. The 108 mirror pieces turned out to be 108 winkling and glittering crystal lakes of different sizes, covering the land of Jiuzhaigou.

Upon entering the resort, you will find yourself strolling in a fairyland, leaving behind nothing but earthly troubles and vexations. It is a world of water, the clearest in the world. Water brings Jiuzhaigou its most enchanting views, which is the soul of the place. Whether you are met with serene lakes or plunging waterfalls, you will enjoy yourself so much among the charming sights as to linger on with no thoughts for home.

With an elevation of 2,000-3,000 meters above the sea level, the area enjoys a favorable climate that is cool in summer while immune from the cold wind of the winter season, presenting the beautiful scenery all year around. In spring the ice and snow begin to melt, and water and stream begin to flow and mountain flowers blossom. The soft and lazy spring sun kisses the surface of the lake and the spring shoots. The sight is really refreshing and touching. In summer, Jiuzhaigou is overshadowed by green trees, and the silver waterfall express their most unrestrained feelings. Autumn is the most splendid season in Jiuzhaigou when colorful leaves and woods are reflected in the water and the fallen leaves are floating amidst the shinning waves of the lakes. The sky here is vast, clear and blue. The most beautiful scenery created by nature is right before your eyes. As winter comes, Jiuzhaigou becomes quiet, serene and poetic. The mountains and forests are covered by snow, and the waterfall and lakes are crystal clear and jade-like. The ice on the blue lake surface shows wonderful and different lines as the temperature changes between sunrise the sunset.

Du Fu Thatched Cottage, which is a beautiful garden and museum to honor Du Fu, one of the greatest Chinese poets of all times. Du wrote more than 240 poems at this cottage reflecting the sorrows of the village. The site was renovated in the Ming and Qing Dynasties and enlarge to the present scale, including a bamboo garden, lovely pavilions, and several exquisite bridges. Strolling through the huge garden area to many awesome and picturesque places should be a lovely experience. Then comes to Wuhou Temple, another very beautiful spot. It also has a great garden and very graceful as well. It is special because it is a temple for honoring of an Emperor and his Minister at the same time. In Chinese history, there is strict grading between Emperor and minister, who are not supposed to set together. Moreover you find a nice tea house in the temple and have a cup of tea to relaxing and watching the locals chatting, playing MaJiang and Chinese poker. The Sichuan tea houses really have a very unique atmosphere. You see many old people, who seem to spend the whole day there, some Western tourists, Chinese families and even sometimes young people meeting up with friends. It is always very nice and interesting to watch the people having a good time and enjoying themselves.

Among the big cities in China, Shanghai maintains the look of a Western metropolis. It is fascinating and sophisticated. The city started out in the 4th century as a fishing village and became a town till the middle of the 13th century. After the Opium War, Shanghai was gradually opened as a 'treaty port' in the mid year of the 19th century when it had been opened to the foreign trade and led to its partition into British, French and later Japanese concessions. From that time on, foreigners began to flood into this paradise for adventurers. Covering out their own sphere of influence, England, France, the US and Japan settled here by seizing their respective concessions which was known as the territory of each country. It was considered as the colonial period with number of the featured buildings and architectures of cosmopolitan by those owners of the concessions which made Shanghai as a fascinating mixture of East and West.

As a museum of ancient Chinese art, Shanghai Museum possesses a collection of 120,000 precious works of art. Its rich and high-quality collection of ancient Chinese bronze, ceramics, painting and calligraphy is specially celebrated in the world.

Today you'll find a Buddhism shrine - Jade Buddha Temple, located in a crowd of Shanghai City. It was first built in 1882 in Jiangwan on the southern outskirts of Shanghai. In order to make it convenient for the adherents to visit , it was bodily moved to Shanghai City at the present sire in 1918. It is named for its two bejeweled white jade Buddha. It receives thousands of visitors and worshipers everyday while keeps its sanctity and charming. Carved from a whole piece of white jade, the sitting jade Buddha statue is translucent with a solemn expression, displaying the excellent skill and extraordinary art of Chinese people. Yuyuan Garden has a lot of stories for it was severely damaged in the 19 th century and was restored in 1961. This garden was first built in the 16th century by provincial governor, Pan Yunduan, in honor of his father who was the then government minister. It has many scenic courtyards decorated with baroque rockery, pools, and flora that are all connected by corridors and passageways. The delicate design and exquisite layout of the whole garden reveals a strong impression of 'garden in the garden, whole in the part.' Coming back from the nature, the shopping trip will begin in Nanjing Road which is starts at the Bund and runs westward, with People's Square in the middle. Renown for its bustling and modernization, Nanjing Road earns its reputation as the 'First Commercial Road in China', which is the good shopping heaven for your trip as the same as the Fifth Avenue in New York and Avenue des Champs-Elysées in Paris. Some of the traditional food and handicrafts of Shanghai can be found here. Then we comes to the Bund, the showcase with the old buildings of colonial-era leftover along Huangpu River. The renowned waterfront district is the city's most famous landmark. The word BUND is of Anglo-India origin meaning embankment on the waterfront. It is also the popular site to enjoy the night view of the city.

Shanghai offers colorful recreations with rich contents and creative form. Your night may be filled with an interactive old form of art known as the Acrobatics. Those professional performers have been trained of as early as age six or seven so that they can play so well and excellent. It definitely will be an unforgettable night in your memory.