China Travel for Culture, Health and Wellness

China and Tibet: Extraordinary Wonders

Healing Retreats and Total Eclipse

18 Days from Only $4,950

July 6 - July 23, 2009

This unique travel program is led by wellness pioneer, Dr. Miles Chong Chen, a native of China and Director of Chi Wellness Clinic in Boston, MA. It will enable you to explore China for its extraordinary natural beauties, ancient relics of five thousand years, its wellness culture, and most importantly the rejuvenation of your own innate healing. You will be inspired by first-hand experience and personal transformation through visits to mystic Daoist and Zen Buddhist temples, tea plantations, ancient cities and palaces, traditional organic farm, and ordinary Chinese families. You well-being will be enhanced by health foods, authentic acupuncture, deep Tuina massage therapy and herbal teas prepared by our specialists from state-of-art holistic healing centers in China. Finally you will be enchanted by our luxurious five-star hotel accommodation and the world's best shopping experience in cosmopolitan cities.

Itinerary

Day      Activities

1          U.S. Airport

·         Departure / Flight overnight

2          Beijing, China

·         Arrive in late afternoon & check in a five-star hotel

·         Tea drinking ceremony to cleanse the toxins

·         Deep Tuina massage by blind healers to remove stresses

·         Herbal bath to rejuvenate the innate energy

3          Beijing

·         Tour Tian An Men Square

·         Visit the Forbidden City and Imperial Place

·         Enjoy a festive Welcoming Dinner Party

4          Beijing

·         Walk on the Great Hall

·         Tour the Ming Tombs

·         Walk along the Way of Spirit

·         Attend a performance of Beijing Opera

5          Beijing

·         Visit a Beijing Hospital for Traditional Chinese Medicine for total checkup

·         Receive healing treatment for stresses

·         Take Train Ride to Zhenzhou

6          Zhenzhou, Henen Province

·         Visit Shoaling Temple where Zen Buddhism is originated

·         Practice meditation and martial arts with Shaoling monks

7          Xian, Shangxi Province

·         Flight to the 2000 years old ancient capital, Xian

·         Enjoy an Imperial banquet with festive ancient music & dances

8          Xian, Shangxi Province

·         Tour the Imperial Tomb of Qing Dynasty (200 BC)

·         Review the 2200 years old Terra Cotta Army – 7,000 life-size horses & soldiers

9        Chongqing City, China

·         Fly from Xian to Chongqing

·        Yangtze River Cruise to see the Three Gorges Dam. The dam is world’s largest (more than five times the size of the Hoover Dam).

·         Visit the Museum dedicated to the Americans, General Joseph Stilwell and volunteer aviators, Flight Tigers, who helped the Chinese people resist Japanese invaders during the World War II.

10        Chengdu, Sichuan Province

·        Fly from Chongqing to Chengdu

·        Visit the birthplace of Taoism (Daoism), Qing Cheng Shan (Green Hill) Where most sacred Taoism temples are located

·        Visit Dujiang Yan (The Dujiang River Dyke), a great ancient irrigation and flood divergence project (built in 250 BC).

11        Chengdu, Sichuan Province

·        Visit Chengdu Panda Breeding Base and Panda Museum

·        Visit Ermei Mountain, one of the most sacred Buddhism mountains in China, and where many endangered plants and animals reside

·        Visit the Leshan Great Buddha (a statue of Maitreya). This 213 ft high sculpture, finished in 713 AD, is the largest stone-carved buddha in the world.

11-12  Chengdu-Lhasa Train Ride (48 Hours)

·        Train Ride from Chengdu to Lhasa. The 48-hour train ride goes through the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, the world's highest altitude railroad that traverses permafrost (highest point 16,000 ft above sea level) and is open on July 1, 2006. To counteract the thin air when the trains reach the highest altitudes, oxygen is pumped through the carriage ventilation. If needed, passengers can access additional oxygen from a socket under the seat. The highest point the train reaches is Tanggula Mountain Pass at 16,640 feet (Mount McKinley in Alaska is 20,320 feet). Where enjoying the extraordinary sceneries on the roof of the world, you can rest comfortably in a luxurious four-berth compartment or enjoy authentic Sichuan or Tibet cuisines.

·        Arrive in Lhasa, the center of the Tibet Buddhism

13        Lhasa, Tibet

·        Relaxation and Meditation

·        Visit the Potala Palace. The symbol of Lhasa, perched upon Marpo Ri Hill, 130 meters above the Lhasa Valley, it is the greatest monumental structure in Tibet and one of the most famous architectural works of the world. As the religious and political centre of old Tibet and the winter residence of Dalai Lamas, the palace witnessed the life of the Dalai Lamas and the important political and religious activities in the past centuries. The construction of it was started in 641 AD and was rebuilt by the Fifth Dalai Lama in three years, while the Thirteenth Dalai Lama extended and repaired it into what it is now. Potala Palace also houses great amounts of rare cultural relics including the gold hand-written Buddhist scriptures, valuable gifts from the Chinese emperors and a lot of priceless antiques.

·        Visit the Sera Monastery. The Sera Monastery, meaning wild rose in the Tibetan, at the foot of Tatipu Hill is located in the northern suburb of Lhasa City. It is one of three largest monasteries in Lhasa. The Sera Monastery is dedicated to the Gelugpa or Yellow Hat Sect, a branch of Tibetan Buddhism, founded by Tsong Khapa. It was built in 1419 during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

 14        Lhasa, Tibet

Visit the thriving bazaar of the Barkhor Street. It is a circular street around the Jokhang Temple in the center of the old section of Lhasa, where you can enjoy bargaining with the local Tibetan vendors for the handicrafts which are rare to be seen elsewhere in the world. Barkhor Street is one of the most important religious paths along which pilgrims walk around Jokhang Temple while turning prayer wheels in their hands through centuries. Buddhist pilgrims walk or progress by body-lengths along the street clockwise every day into deep night.

15        Shanghai, China

·        Fly from Lhasa to Shanghai

·        Visit street bazaar and posh shopping malls

16        Shanghai

                  Tour the most modern, cosmopolitan city in China 

                  Shanghai to Hangzhou by car

17       Hangzhou - the Total Eclipse Day on July 22, 2009

After an early breakfast we will take our eclipse equipment and go to Xihu (West Lake). The great Song Dynasty poet Su Dongpo (960-1127) compared the West Lake to a legendary Chinese classic beauty. West Lake is not only famous for its picturesque landscape, it is also associated with many scholars, national heroes and revolutionary martyrs, thus embracing many aspects of Chinese culture. In addition, many ancient buildings, stone caves and engraved tablets in surrounding areas are among the most cherished national treasures of China, with significant artistic value.

The West Lake is considered as one of the best observation venues in the world for the 2009 Total Eclipse. This is an opportunity for life time to witness this magic but transitory natural wonder.

·       

     Visit the verdant fields of Longjing (Dragon Well) Tea Farm while having a cup of green tea to refresh yourself.

·        Visit the interesting Tea Museum which has good exhibits of tea and also the Museum of Traditional Chinese Medicine which is attractive because of it's beautiful old wood-paneled building as well as it's exhibits consist of herbal medicine and the history of Chinese medicine offering visitors a comprehensive knowledge of traditional Chinese medicine in the ancient and modern China.

·        Shopping at Hangzhou Silk Market with three blocks of shops full of overruns and seconds from the local silk factories at great prices.

                 Farewell Banquet

 18        Shanghai to the US

                 Hangzhou to Shanghai by car

                 Fly from Shanghai Pudong International Airport

·        Arrive in the US on the same day

Group Size

·        10 per trip

Date

July 5 (Monday) to July 23 (Thursday), 2009