10 Days China Culture Tour Plus Shaolin Kung Fu Experience

Sightseeing and Activities: Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Summer Palace
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After breakfast, take a short tour of Tiananmen Square and start exploring Beijing's historical features. Tiananmen Square is now the largest city square in the world. Tiananmen Square in the North Square is the site where Chairman Mao announced the founding of the People's Republic of China. Upon entering Tiananmen, you will see one of the five most important palaces in the world, the Forbidden City. This is a huge palace complex with more than 9,000 rooms. In the past, there were 24 emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. And well-preserved buildings, decorated with yellow glazed tile roofs, white marble bases, and gorgeous color paintings.

After lunch, drive to the suburbs of Beijing and spend a pleasant time in the Summer Palace, the largest and best-preserved royal garden in China. Stroll through ancient pavilions, buildings, temples, bridges and corridors. Take in the magnificent lotus flowers and colorful paintings on the promenade on Kunming Lake.

Sightseeing and Activities: Mutianyu Great Wall
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After breakfast, drive about 70km to witness one of the Seven Wonders of the World - the Great Wall. Visit the Mutianyu, a less crowded yet well-preserved segment of the Great Wall built in the Ming Dynasty. It will more than live up to all of your expectations! You’ll take a cable car to ascend the Great Wall, then hike the most beautiful and interesting part of Mutianyu and climb up its rising towers to enjoy scenic views of the wall as it wriggles along mountain ridges and you take brag-worthy photos. After the exciting time, descend by cable car. (Note: If energy permits, you can hike up or down which takes about 40 minutes to climb steps. Please tell your likes to your travel consultant.)

Continue your trip to Sacred Way, a 7-kilometer-long passage leading to the Imperial Tombs of 13 Emperors of Ming Dynasty. The Emperor, known as the Son of the Heaven, who came from Heaven to his country through the Sacred Way, also would return to Heaven through this road. Take a walk through the largest archway in China and Great Palace Gate and you’ll see the magnificent stone guard of 12 sets of mythical animals and 12 officials. Then drive back to Beijing city and take a short stop at the Beijing Olympic Village to view its famous Bird’s Nest and Water Cube from the outside.

Sightseeing and Activities: Temple of Heaven,
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After breakfast, drive to the royal site-Temple of Heaven. It was originally used to pay tribute to heaven and pray for harvest, but now it has become a lively place for locals to participate in traditional activities such as Tai Chi, dance, kite flying, water calligraphy, etc.

Then, return to the city center and take a rickshaw to experience Beijing Hutong, an alley made up of adjacent quadrangular houses. Travel through different alleys, experience the ancient Beijing lifestyle, meet various antique shops and small boutiques, and experience the historical changes of Beijing.

So far, your trip to Beijing is coming to an end. Your guide will take you to the high-speed train to Xi'an (about 5 hours) at Beijing West Railway Station. You will be picked up by your guide at Xi'an North Railway Station and accompanied to your hotel in Xi'an. You will explore the ancient Chinese capital for the rest of today.

Sightseeing and Activities: Terracotta Warriors and Horses, Ancient City Wall
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After breakfast, drive about 40 kilometers and discover one of the world's largest man-made wonders-Terracotta Warriors built by Emperor Qin Shihuang to protect his afterlife. More than 8,000 life-size fighters, horses and chariots were buried in more than three pits in 2000, until they were discovered by local farmers in 1974, forming an ancient army composed of complete combat units such as infantry, cavalry and so on. Among these figures, not only the ambition of Qin Shihuang was astonished, but also the superb art skills of ancient Chinese craftsmen.

After lunch, return to Xi'an and stroll through the largest and best-preserved ancient city walls in China. Admire the panoramic views of modern Xi'an, and take a leisurely stroll on the well-maintained city walls that are 12 meters high, 18 meters wide, and nearly 14 kilometers across. Followed by a leisurely stroll through the bustling and lively Muslim community, where you can taste the most delicious Xi'an food and snacks, and experience the local culture.

Sightseeing and Activities: Da Cien Temple, Big Wild Goose Pagoda
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After breakfast, proceed to Da Cien Temple, a famous Buddhist translation place in Tang Dynasty. The Big Wild Goose Pagoda is the most famous building in the temple. The tower is 64.5 meters high and was built by the famous Buddhist master Xuan Z to preserve the classic scriptures he purchased from India in the early Tang Dynasty. (Xuan Z, the prototype character of Tang Seng in Journey to the West). Note: Climbing the Big Wild Goose Pagoda costs an extra 30 yuan.

The following is an educational visit to the Shaanxi History Museum. Take a stroll in the modern showroom and admire the cultural relics of the Tang Dynasty (1100-907 BC), such as porcelain, paintings and currency. (Note: Due to the large number of tourists from July to early September, and October 1 to October 7 is the Chinese National Day, there are many tourists. The Shaanxi History Museum may be replaced by other activities or attractions. You can check with your travel consultant details.)

After the tour, accompany to Xi'an North Railway Station and take a high-speed train to Luoyang (about 1.5 hours).

Sightseeing and Activities: White Horse Temple,
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After breakfast, start today's itinerary and visit the White Horse Temple, which is about 30 minutes drive from the downtown area.

The White Horse Temple was built in 68 CE in the Eastern Han Dynasty. It is the first Buddhist temple in China and has a history of more than 1900 years. Since then, it has spread Buddhism across China and is regarded as the cradle of Chinese Buddhism. According to historical legends, the Emperor of the Eastern Han Dynasty dreamed of a golden man flying around in the yard. He then sent an envoy to the western region to invite the Buddha to study Buddhism. Two years later, at the invitation of Mindy, Indian dignitaries Mounteng and Zhu Falan came to China with a white horse carrying a Buddhist scripture. Then built the White Horse Temple to place and translate scriptures brought by Indian nobles.

After that, continue to visit Longmen Grottoes. The Longmen Grottoes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are densely distributed on cliffs on both banks of the Yi River. Among them are the largest and most impressive Chinese art collections of the late Northern Wei and Tang Dynasty (316-907). You will visit the main caves (Fengxian Temple, Guyang Cave, the three Bingyang Caves, etc.), appreciate the Buddhist art and calligraphy in it, and appreciate Chinese Buddhist art.

After the tour, drive about 55 kilometers to Dengfeng.

Sightseeing and Activities: Shaolin Temple, Pagoda Forest, Kung Fu Performance
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After breakfast, your guide will pick you up at your hotel and drive about 13 kilometers to the ideal place for Kung Fu fans and Buddhist pilgrims-Shaolin Temple.

Shaolin Temple, the birthplace of Zen and the birthplace of kung fu. You will visit the magnificent temples and halls, admire the art of stone carving, learn about Buddhist culture, and observe the daily life and meditation of monks in the temples. Don't miss the famous Pagoda Forest, which is the largest Pagoda Forest in China. When an important monk dies, their remains or skeletons will be placed in an underground palace and a pagoda will be built on it. The height, size and number of pagodas will be determined based on the Buddhist knowledge, reputation and merit of the monk during his lifetime. The pagodas here were built in different dynasties, including 2 pagodas in the Tang Dynasty, 2 pagodas in the Song Dynasty, 10 pagodas in the Jin Dynasty, 46 pagodas in the Yuan Dynasty, and 148 pagodas in the Ming Dynasty.

Then continue your visit and enjoy a free Kung Fu show at the Shaolin Martial Arts Center for half an hour every day. Shaolin Kung Fu was originally created by Bodhidharma, who exercises his body while facing walls and meditating. Thereafter, in the Tang Dynasty, most monks in Shaolin Temple practiced Shaolin Kungfu. This phenomenon peaked in the Ming Dynasty, and then Shaolin Kungfu spread to the outside. You can enter the performance hall 20 minutes in advance, so it's best to get in early to get good seats.

After that, drive about 90 kilometers to Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport and fly to Shanghai (within 2 hours). Upon arrival at Shanghai General International Airport, your local guide will meet you and transfer you to your hotel by private car.

Sightseeing and Activities: Shanghai Museum, Yu Garden
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You will spend a full day of sightseeing exploring Shanghai's past and present. Your first stop is the Shanghai Museum, one of the four best museums in China. The top of this modern museum is round, and the bottom is square, symbolizing the ancient Chinese understanding of the world: "round sky, square land". The museum collects many international standard bronzes, paintings, calligraphy, sculptures, ceramics, and jadeware. Qing Dynasty more than five thousand years ago. Then, you will visit Yuyuan Garden, which is a bright star among all ancient Chinese gardens in Jiangnan. This garden fully embodies the traditional design of Chinese architecture, with jagged gazebos, elegant decoration, gleaming pools, stray fish and pine trees sprouting in the sky, all of which are designed to refresh your spirit and spirit. Next to the garden is Yuyuan Market, where you can taste delicious local snacks and explore the exquisite traditional Chinese handicrafts and artworks. Next, from the 100th floor (474m) of "Shanghai Eye" Shanghai World Financial Center, you will drive for several kilometers and enjoy the modern panorama of Shanghai.

Then you will be taken to another popular landmark in Shanghai, Nanjing Road, a shopping paradise, and a great place to walk and experience the modern atmosphere of the city. Finally, you will stop at the Bund, which used to be a simple freight transportation path, but now it has become an avid trade zone. You will stroll along the Bund to see and experience the perfect fusion of Chinese and Western cultures, and at the same time witness the fascinating Shanghai skyline!

Sightseeing and Activities: Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center, Jade Buddha Temple
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Wondering why Shanghai has changed from a dilapidated fishing village to a modern, vibrant and international city? This morning's Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center tour will give you a full explanation of the problem, and you will also outline the grand plans for the future.

Next is a wonderful visit to the Jade Buddha Temple. With the world's largest jade buddha and many religious artifacts, ancient statues and Buddhist scriptures, this very pure land is a peaceful place to spend a wonderful holiday in this busy city in a crowded downtown area.

In the afternoon, your guide will escort you to the airport for your flight to your next destination.