China Buddhist Experience (Beijing/Datong/Wutaishan/Taiyuan/Xian/Luoyang/Zhengzhou/Beijing)

　 Day One, after your arrival, you may get lost at our new capital airport but with help of our smile guide, you could take the coach to reach the comfortable hotel. After a glimpse over the Beijing landscape, being free at your temporary home and ready for tomorrow's walking.

　Day Two, after taste of Chinese made of western breakfast, we will stop at the Tiananmen Square before spending several hours exploring the vast corridors and courtyards of the Forbidden City, one of China 's premiere historical attractions and the site of the Imperial Palace during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Altogether more than 800 buildings and 9,000 chambers make up this complex, and with the help of our expert guide you will be awed and enchanted by stories of imperial extravagance and political intrigue that go back more than 500 years. Trying first Chinese lunch in Beijing , we will head to Emperor's Summer Palace and you could relax your eyes from buildings and buildings, to enjoy the beautiful lake and man made mountain with some unforgettable old imperial story. Free at evening and night and you may enjoy one optional activity.

　Day Three, earlier getting up and we take a long coach ride out of Beijing city to view another of China 's signature monuments, the Great Wall. We will choose one of several sections of the Wall to visit and walking, and you could think about how to build these over 2,000 years ago and stretching about 6,700km.You may touch the Mongolian wind from north, and then you will understand why the wall is here. Down to foot of maintain, after enjoying a tourist Chinese meal, we continue to watch Ming Emperor's Tombs, you could learn it about Chinese concept of Feng Shui. On the way to the Ming Tombs, you should pass the Sacred Road which is lined with stone statues of animals, mystical beasts and officials who serve the emperor in his afterlife, through which the sitting emperors would go to perform memorial rituals for the ancestors once a year. After the whole day walking and driving, you could make you relax by yourself in the hotel, the temporary home in Beijing .

　Day Four, getting up a little bit early with all your luggage, we make for the Temple of Heaven in the morning, a vast religious complex containing masterpieces of Chinese architecture, used by past emperors for offering sacrifices. It is only belong to the Emperor as he proclaimed that he was the son of the Heaven and was sent by the God of Heaven. But today, such grisly activities are no longer in evidence, and the area has been opened to locals for recreational use. Nowadays, you could find all the local people like to come in, some play Taiji and Qigong, some are gathering for dancing and singing, some are flying kites, or some are staying together for playing chess and cards, etc. It is common life of ordinary people. Then, we will move to Lama Temple, the only one Imperial style Tibetan Temple in Beijing, as it was used to be prince palace before he became the emperor, then it was offered to Tibetan Buddhists. The Lama Temple is home to the Yellow Sect of Buddhism. It is very active, with many faithful burning armloads of incense. You could learn something about the religion in China . After a quick lunch, we will transfer you to Beijing Xi Railway Station for the train to Datong . By the almost six hour journey of train, you will reach Datong . You will be free after we transfer you to the hotel.

　Day Five, after breakfast, we will pay a visit to the famous Buddhist Grottoes, Yanggang Grottoes which is one of the three major cave clusters in China, punctuate the north cliff of Wuzhou Mountain, Datong. The area was excavated along the mountain, extending 1 km (0.62 miles) from east to west, revealing 53 caves and over 51,000 stone statues. Started in 450, Yungang is a relic of the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534). Absorbing Indian Gandhara Buddhist art, Yungang sculptures developed traditional Chinese art melded with social features of the time. During the reign of Emperor Xiao Wen a monk named Tanyao took charge of the construction of Yungang Grottoes. The largest cave is No.6. In the 20-meter (65.6-foot)-high cave stands a 15-meter (49.2-foot)-high pagoda-like column decorated with Buddha statues and designs. On the four sides of the tower pillar, and on the east, south and west walls of the cave, 33 embossed panels depict the story of Saykamuni.

　After the lunch in the afternoon, we are going to the Huayan Monastery complex which is located on Daxi Street on the south western side of Datong City . There are two separate sections to the monastery, the upper one referred to as the Grand Hall housing five large Ming Dynasty Buddhas, and the lower section referred to as the Sutra Temple containing a library of some 18,000 volumes of Buddhist writings. Built during the Liao Dynasty (907 - 1125), it is the largest and best preserved monastery of the Liao Dynasty in existence in China . This monastery was built according to the Huayan Sutra Sect of the Huayan School and is unique in that it faces east instead of south. Emperors in the Liao Dynasty sincerely believed in Buddhism, so they built many monasteries. The Huayan Monastery was originally the ancestral temple of the imperial family, offering sacrifices for emperors of the Liao Dynasty.

　Next is Shanhua Temple, it is located inside the south gate of Datong City, also called Nan Temple or South Temple. It was originally founded during the Tang Dynasty (618 - 907) but it was destroyed by war at the end of the Liao Dynasty (916 - 1125). During the Jin Dynasty (1115 - 1234) it was rebuilt on a large scale. The extant layout is the best-preserved temple of the Liao and Jin dynasties. The temple looks very spiritual and solemn. Only a Five-Dragon Screen made from a colored glaze adds a trace of cheerful atmosphere.

　Last by today, we will see the Nine Dragon Screen , which was built over 600 years ago, is presently the oldest and largest glazed screen in China today. It is three times larger than that in Beihai Park , Beijing City . The screen, built for the thirteenth son of Zhu Yuanzhang, the first Emperor of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), has been well preserved and remains intact to this day. It is made up of 426 specially-fired glazed bricks, with a height of 8 meters (about 26 feet), 2.02 meters (6.6 feet) thick and 45.5 meters (149 feet) long. The Screen can be divided into three parts, the pedestal, body and roof. There is a pond with a stone bridge located in front of the screen. The reflection of the dragons becomes dynamic, especially when a breeze disturbs the surface of the water.

　Day Six, after breakfast, we will drive for Wutaishan Mountain . On the way, we will pass Yingxian Wooden Pagoda, which is l ocated in Yingxian County , and about 70 kilometers south of Datong . It is the oldest and highest wooden structure in China . It is regarded as the 'First Pagoda in the World' and a gem in the architectural field. It has now also been placed under national emphases under the Cultural Relics Protection Units. Built during the Liao Dynasty (about 1056), it has about 900 years of history. It has a height of about 67 meters, and a 30 meter long diameter at its bottom. The Pagoda appears as a five-storey structure, but in fact it has a total of nine stories with four hidden inside. The Wooden Pagoda is a perfect combination of science, art and religious. It is also the wonder of the wooden architecture field.

　Next, we are going to visit the Hanging Monastery, it stands at the foot of Mt. Hengshan , 3 miles south of Hunyuan County, and 40 miles from downtown Datong City. Since it hangs on the west cliff of Jinxia Gorge more than 50 meters above the ground, it is called Hanging Monastery. It was built in 491, has survived more than 1400 years. The extant monastery was largely rebuilt and maintained in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Hanging Monastery is an architectural wonder. A unique mechanical theory was applied to building the framework. Crossbeams were half-inserted into the rock as the foundation, while the rock in back became its support. Seen from below, Hanging Monastery appears to be a tumble-down castle in the air. Inside, Hanging Monastery provides the same scene as other temples. The second attraction of Hanging Monastery is that it includes Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. Inside the monastery, the sculptures of Sakyamuni, Confucius and Laotzu appear together, which is unusual. There are 40 halls and cabinets, which contain about 80 sculptures made of copper, iron, terracotta, and stone. The features are vividly carved. Why build a monastery like this? Location is the first reason; building a monastery on the cliff could shield it from floods. In addition, the mountain peak protects it from rain and snow; and the mountain around it also diminishes damage from long-time sunshine. The second reason is that the builders followed a principle in Taoism: no noises, including those from rooster crowing and dog baying; so from the upper ground, all noises drop away. Later on, we will transfer to the hotel in Wutaishan Mountain and be free for the rest of the day.

　Day Seven, after breakfast, we will start the sightseeing in Wutaishan Mountain . The most holy land of Chinese Buddhism, Mt. Wutaishan lies in Wutai County in Xinzhou Region , Shanxi Province. It is as famous as Mt.Emeishan in Sichuan Province , Mt.Putuoshan in Zhejiang Province , and Mt.Jiuhuashan in Anhui Province , all of which are renowned as the four sacred Buddhist Mountains . Mt. Wutaishan covers an area of 2,837 square kilometers (1,095.4 square miles), and its five main peaks, positioned east, south, west, north, and in the middle, embrace one another with broad and plain terraces rather than forests on their tops. That is why it bears the name "Wutaishan" (Mountain of Five Terraces). With the average altitude over 1,000 meters (over 3,281 feet), its apex, the summit of the northern peak which is famed as being the "Roof of Northern China", reaches 3,058 meters (10,032.8 feet). Besides the religious aspect, the beauty of rising and falling ridges of mountains, exotic rocks, crisscrossed gullies, crystalline waters and towering green forests also gives Mt. Wutaishan its reputation as a colorful and notable tourist resort.

　As the one of the four holy Buddhist Mountains , is the dwelling place of Manjusri Bodhisattva. 360 temples were built here dating back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907) but now only 47 of them exist. Over the years, incalculable numbers of pilgrims and visitors have come here. Among these magnificent temples, five are the most famous: Xiantong Temple , TayuanTemple, Manjusri Temple (Summit Bodhisattva), Shuxiang Temple , and Luohou Temple . All these temples are interspersed in the mountain, numerous art works were cared for and have been preserved as relics-sculptures, murals, calligraphy, as well as architecture. Pagodas built in the style of those in ancient India added new types to traditional ones. Nanchan Temple and Foguang Temple , built in the Tang Dynasty, are representatives of the ancient wooden style of construction, and have the longest history amongst the temples in the mountain.

　Day Eight, after breakfast, we will drive you to Taiyuan , it is almost a whole morning driving. Reach Taiyuan at the lunch time, and transfer back to the hotel. After a short rest, you could have the sightseeing in the afternoon. Going to see the Jinci Temple which is located 16 miles to the southeast of downtown Taiyuan City , it is a combination of historical cultural relics and beautiful landscapes. The welcoming boughs of a multitude of ancient trees provide an eye-catching entrance to the temple. Beyond this, the numerous halls, cabinets, pavilions and bridges are guaranteed to keep any visitor enthralled. It has a long history, which can be traced back to the Western Zhou Dynasty (11th century BC to 711 BC), when King Cheng made his younger brother Yu a leader of one of his states. Yu was an intelligent leader who devoted all his energies to making the state prosperous, so his descendants built a temple for him after his death, in order to honor his achievement. It is world-famous because it is an ancient ancestral temple, something which is rare in China .

　Another one is the Twin Pogodas Temple , also known by the name ' Yongzuo Temple ' (Yong Zuo Si), is located in the southeast of Taiyuan City . There are two 53-meter-tall pagodas standing in the temple, hence the name ' Twin Pagoda Temple '. History records reveal that the temple and two pagodas were built under the Emperor Wanli's order in 1608 during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). All of the buildings in this temple were constructed with bricks. The brick-carved posts and brackets of the temple perfectly demonstrate the features of ancient Chinese architecture. It's worth mentioning that a rare collection of steles have been stored in the temple that contain the handwriting of famous ancient Chinese calligraphers from various dynasties such as Wang Xizhi (303-361), Yan Zhenqing (709-785), Liu Zongyuan (773-819), and Su Dongpo (1037-1101). The best time to visit the temple is in spring (April and May) when all the peony and cloves are in their full bloom. These beautiful flowers are said to have been planted during the Ming Dynasty and their beauty indeed makes the old temple more elegant and appealing.

　Day Nine, in the morning, we will transfer you to the airport for the flight to Xian. U pon your arrival, we have the ground transfer for you as Xian airport is a very far away from the city and it is not very convenience for a foreigner to wonder around. We could have the lunch firstly, then, we take you back to your comfortable hotel and have a break. After a short time rest, we leave the hotel for our Xian sightseeing. What are we going by the first day? Not too much but all within the Xian city. We drive you to see the ancient city wall which was firstly built by the 14 th Century on Tang Dynasty foundation. From the ancient city wall, you could have a view of the Xian city. After that, we move to the Drum Tower and Bell Tower which is located in the exact center of the ancient city, the old Xian landmark. Later, we will pay a visit to the Shaanxi Provincial History Museum , a striking Tang-Dynasty style pavilion with a large collection of historic and cultural artifacts unearthed in Shaanxi . Take your time, it your last stop by first day. You will be free after that or you like to have any option tour for the evening in Xian.

　Day Ten, after taste of Chinese made of western breakfast and you will be ready to see the one of the most spectacular archaeological discoveries of the 20th Century, the Terracotta Warrior and Horses. This discovery of the terracotta army buried near the tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, the first unifier of China, is created 2,200 years ago as an imperial guard to serve the emperor in his afterlife, these thousands of life-size warrior and horse figures equipped with chariots and bronze weapons, bear witness to the military might of the first emperor of the Qin Dynasty (221-206 B.C.), and give the world a rare peek into the distant past. Discovered in 1974 and opened to the public in 1979, this ancient site is now one of the greatest tourist attractions in the world. After that, we will drive back to the Xian city and watch the pretty nice Big Wild Goose Pagoda , a masterpiece of Buddhist architecture in a distinctly Tang dynasty style. It became famous when master Xuanzang or we called him Monk Tripitaka where he made the translation of the Buddhist scriptures after his return from his 17-years India journey. Later, someone created a story of Go West for his Indian travel and becomes very popular among Chinese people, even from children. What a rich Chinese culture city, you will leave it for your next destination. We will transfer you to Xian Railway Station for the train to Luoyang at 16:30. By five hours journey, you will reach Luoyang , transfer to the hotel.

　Day Eleven, today, we are going to pay a visit to White Horse Temple and Longmen Caves . The White Horse Temple is located 12 km away from Luoyang City . Established by the Han Dynasty in 68 AD when Buddhism started to spread, this temple is believe to be the first Buddhist temple built by the government in China. According to historical records, Emperor Ming of the Eastern Han Dynasty (25 - 220 AD) once sent his minister on a diplomatic mission to western region to learn about Buddhism. After finished study, they came back with two eminent Indian dignitary monks - She Moteng and Zhu Falan, and a white horse carried the sutra and the figure of Buddha. In order to memorialize the white horse's contribution of taking back the sutra, Emperor Ming ordered the construction of the temple and named it White Horse Temple. White Horse Temple was regarded as the "originating court" and the "cradle of Chinese Buddhism" by the Buddhist disciples. Since its establishment, White Horse Temple has experienced vicissitudes of centuries. Then, we will drive you to Longmen Caves . It is located in the south of Luoyang City , between Mount Xiang and Mount Longmen and face Yi River. The grottoes in caves were started around the year 493 when Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534) moved the capital to Luoyang and were continuously built during the 400 years until the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127). The scenery measures 1,000 metres (about 1,094 yards) from north to south where there are over 2,300 holes and niches, 2,800 steles, 40 dagobas, 1,300 caves and 100,000 statues. Most of them are the works of the Northern Wei Dynasty and the flourishing age of the Tang Dynasty (618-907). Lots of historical materials concerning art, music, religion, calligraphy, medicine, costume and architecture are kept in Longmen Grottoes. After these sightseeing, we will transfer you to Dengfeng and stay over night in Dengfeng.

　Day Twelve, after breakfast, you will be going around of Luoyang city regarding as a city tour, then, we will drive you to Shaolin Monastery. I founded in AD 496 during the Northern Wei dynasty, the Shaolin Monastery was built in honor of an Indian monk called Bodhidharma, founder of the Mahayana sect of Buddhism or more popularly known as Chinese Chan (or Zen) Buddhism. This temple is therefore regarded as the birthplace of Chinese Buddhism. The temple, which bore witness to the rise and fall of several dynasties, is also famous for its Martial Arts (Kung Fu). Shaolin Kung Fu is the product of the synthesis of other martial arts principles into a distinctive martial art style. An ancient Shaolin Master once said: "Study Shaolin style in great depth, then study for wisdom and train the body." This quote embodies the physical and mental strength and discipline required in the study of martial arts. In recent years, renewed interest in Kung Fu has led visitors, western & otherwise, to the steps of the temple where schooled martial arts started. After these sightseeing, we transfer you to Zhengzhou for the flight to Beijing . Up the arrival, we transfer to the hotel.

　Day Thirteen, being free till to the time for departure flight to home by our transfer.

　Tour Quotation:

　Remark: The price will be higher during the period of Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

　Remark: The price will be based on per person.

　All the quotation will be including:

　1.  All the Entrance fees listed in the itinerary

　2.  Meals only including breakfast and lunch

　3.  Skillful driver with private vehicle

　4.  Hotel room should be on twin share bases

　5.  Excellent local guide

　6.  Domestic transportation
　   * Air tickets: Taiyuan to Xian and Zhengzhou to Beijing * Train tickets: Beijing to Datong and Xian to Luoyang
　   * All the ground transfer

　7.  All the quotation is by US Dollars which is based on the rate of Bank of China

　8.  Cancellation policy: Cancellation should be informed three days before departure otherwise should have 30% penalty of total price.

　9.  Payment policy: All the payment should be three days in advance before departure when you received the final confirmation and tickets

　10.  Payment method: cash, credit card and wire transfer

　  All the quotation will be NOT including:

　1.   International ticket

　2.  All the dinners

　3.  Personal Expenses.

　4.  Gratuities, Tips to guides or drivers

　Notes: All the quotation would be changed due to the unexpected reason.