Context
In China, all philosophies bloom in their way anytime, anywhere. And the major philosophies in China are Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism. As we all know, both Buddhism and Taoism are religion, but the philosophy of them also influence the non-religious people. Hereby, we try to arrange the travel for you to focus on philosophy and with some must-see places like the Great Wall. And also, we put some activities like playing Taiji into the itinerary, as well, as the experts showing up to tell us more knowledge of culture and arts. The following highlights are divided into different catalogues accordingly.

Trip Highlights

CONFUCIANISM
Confucianism is often characterized as a system of social and ethical philosophy rather than a religion. In fact, Confucianism was built on an ancient religious foundation to establish the social values, institutions and transcendent ideals of traditional Chinese society. It was what sociologist Robert Bellah called a "civil religion", the sense of religious identity and common moral understanding at the foundation of a society's central institutions. It is also what a Chinese sociologist called a "diffused religion"; its institutions were not a separate church, but those of society, family, school, and state; its priests were not separate liturgical specialists, but parents, teachers and officials. Confucianism was part of the Chinese social fabric and way of life; to Confucians, everyday life was the arena of religion.
The founder of Confucianism, Master Kong (K'ung, Confucius, 551-479 B.C.) did not intend to found a new religion, but to interpret and revive the unnamed religion of the Zhou (Chou) dynasty, under which many people thought the ancient system of religious rule was bankrupt; why couldn't the gods prevent the social upheavals? The burning issue of the day was: If it is not the ancestral and nature spirits, what then is the basis of a stable, unified, and enduring social order? The dominant view of the day, espoused by Realists and Legalists, was that strict law and statecraft were the bases of sound policy. Confucius, however, believed that the basis lay in Zhou religion, in its rituals (li). He interpreted these not as sacrifices asking for the blessings of the gods, but as ceremonies performed by human agents and embodying the civilized and cultured patterns of behavior developed through generations of human wisdom. They embodied, for him, the ethical core of Chinese society. Moreover, Confucius applied the term "ritual" to actions beyond the formal sacrifices and religious ceremonies to include social rituals: courtesies and accepted standards of behavior -- what we today call social mores. He saw these time-honored and traditional rituals as the basis of human civilization, and he felt that only a civilized society could have a stable, unified, and enduring social order.

The Imperial College in Beijing
The Imperial College is called Guozijian in Chinese. It is located immediately to the west of the Confucian Temple and, in fact, connects with the temple through a side gate. Generally recognized as the highest official institution of learning in imperial China, it was first established in 1287 during the Yuan Dynasty and subsequently enlarged several times, attaining its present dimensions during the reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty. After the founding of the People's Republic in 1949, the Imperial College was completely renovated and the Capital Library was incorporated within its grounds. The Imperial College is really a product of Confucianism in ancient China.

The Forbidden City
The Forbidden City (Imperial Palace) was home to 24 emperors beginning with its creation by Emperor Yongle in 1420 until the last Qing emperor, Puyi, left it in 1924. The entire complex consists of 8,706 rooms in which an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 people lived including 3,000 eunuchs, as well as maids and concubines, all within 170 acres. Behind walls more than 30 feet high and within the 160-foot moat, complex rules and rituals dictated life in the Imperial Palace. Strictly off-limits to Chinese ordinary people (hence the name) the gates today lead to a fascinating display of Chinese history in what is probably the best preserved site of classical Chinese architecture.

The Temple of Heaven
The Temple was built in 1420 A.D. during the Ming Dynasty to offer a sacrifice to Heaven. As Chinese emperors called themselves "The Son of Heaven", they dared not to build their own dwelling, "Forbidden City" bigger than a dwelling for Heaven. The Temple of Heaven is enclosed with a long wall. The northern part within the wall is semicircular symbolizing the heavens and the southern part is square symbolizing the earth. The northern part is higher than the southern part. This design shows that the heaven is high and the earth is low and the design reflected an ancient Chinese thought of "The heaven is round and the earth is square".

BUDDHISM
Buddhism first entered China from India in the time of Han Ming Ti (AD 58-76) and got very popular by the end of the 3rd century. The prevailing disorders heightened the attraction of Buddhism with its promise of personal salvation, despite its lack of affinity with the society-oriented thought of the Chinese. Buddhism was founded by Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, a prince of the Sakya kingdom on the borders of what are now India and Nepal and a contemporary of Confucius. The Buddha taught that desires are the source of pain and that by overcoming desires, pain can be eliminated. To this end, he advocated meditation and pursuing the Eightfold Path, similar to the Ten Commandments of Judaism and Christianity. The objective was to reach Nirvana, the condition of serenity of spirit, where all cravings, strife and pain have been overcome, giving way to a merging of the spirit with eternal harmony.
At an early stage of its development, Buddhism split into two major trends, Mahayana (Greater Vehicle) and Hinayana (Lesser Vehicle). Hinayana remained closer to the original Buddhism and is still the religion of Southeast Asian countries. The Buddhism of China, Korea, Japan, Nepal, Tibet and Vietnam, however, stems largely from Mahayana. Mahayana Buddhism contained more popular elements, such as belief in repetitive prayers, heaven and deities--bodhisattvas--who would help people gain salvation. It also readily adapted to the land and people it converted. In China, it split into several schools, including Chan (Zen in Japan), Tian-tai (Tendai in Japan) and Pure Land.

Lama Monastery (Yonghe Gong) in Beijing
This colorful and remarkably well-preserved Monastery was originally built at the end of the 17th Century as a residence for Prince Yin Zhen before being converted into a Lamasery in the 18th Century. The Monastery managed to survive the Cultural Revolution period from 1966-1976 unscathed and is today an active Tibetan Buddhist center. It houses a number of impressive cultural relics including a breath-taking 18 meters-high statue of the Maitreya Buddha carved out of a single block of sandalwood.

Yungang Grottos in Datong
Yungang Grottoes, one of China's three grotto treasures, built in 453, is located at the south foothill of Wuzhou Mountains in Datong City in Shanxi Province. There are 53 grottos and 1,100 niches with about 51,000 statues in the grottoes. The highest Buddha is 17-meters high and the smallest is only 2 centimeters. It combines traditional Chinese art forms with foreign influences to create a unique style that occupies an important place in the history of Chinese art and it is renowned as China's historical treasure and representation of China's ancient civilization.

Wutaishan in Shanxi
Wutaishan is located in the northeast of Shanxi and it is the leading mountain of the 5 sacred Buddhist mountains in China. There are 5 peaks in the Wutaishan range reaching up to about 3,000 meters (9,800ft) and that is the name of Wutai originates from.
The area has had religious significance since the 1st century AD when an Indian monk is said to have had a vision of Manjusri the Buddhist god of wisdom at Wutaishan. Buddhists were drawn to the area and by the Tang dynasty (618-907AD) there were over 200 Monasterys and monasteries scattered around the mountains.

Potala Palace in Tibet
Potala Palace, 130 meters above the Lhasa valley, rises a further 170 meters and is the greatest monumental structure in all of Tibet, nestled on Marpo Ri hill. Songtsen Gampo built a palace on the hill firstly in 637. This structure stood until the seventeenth century, when it was incorporated into the foundations of the greater buildings still standing today. Construction of the present palace began in 1645 during the reign of the fifth Dalai Lama and by 1648 the Potrang Karpo, or White Palace, was completed. The Potrang Marpo, or Red Palace, was added between 1690 and 1694; its construction required the labors of more than 7000 workers and 1500 artists and craftsman. In 1922 the 13th Dalai Lama renovated many chapels and assembly halls in the White Palace and added two stories to the Red Palace. The Potala Palace was only slightly damaged during the Tibetan uprising against the invading Chinese in 1959. Unlike most other Tibetan religious structures, it was not sacked by the Red Guards during the 1960s and 1970s, apparently through the personal intervention of Chou En Lai. As a result, all the chapels and their artifacts are very well preserved.

TAOISM
Tao (pronounced "Dow") can be roughly translated into English as path, or the way. It is basically indefinable. It has to be experienced. It "refers to a power which envelops, surrounds and flows through all things, living and non-living. The Tao regulates natural processes and nourishes balance in the Universe. It embodies the harmony of opposites (i.e. there would be no love without hate, no light without dark, no male without female)".
The founder of Taoism is believed by many to be Lao-Tse (604-531 BCE), a contemporary of Confucius. (Alternate spellings: Lao Tze, Lao Tsu, Lao Tzu, Laozi, Laotze, etc.). He was searching for a way that would avoid the constant feudal warfare and other conflicts that disrupted society during his lifetime. The result was his book: Tao-te-Ching (a.k.a. Daodejing). Others believe that he is a mythical character.
Taoism started as a combination of psychology and philosophy but evolved into a religious faith in 440 CE when it was adopted as a state religion. At that time Lao-Tse became popularly venerated as a deity. Taoism, along with Buddhism and Confucianism, became one of the three great religions of China. With the end of the Ch'ing Dynasty in 1911, state support for Taoism ended. Much of the Taoist heritage was destroyed during the next period of warlordism. After the Communist victory in 1949, religious freedom was severely restricted. "The new government put monks to manual labor, confiscated temples, and plundered treasures. Several million monks were reduced to fewer than 50,000" by 1960. During the Cultural Revolution in China from 1966 to 1976, much of the remaining Taoist heritage was destroyed. Some religious tolerance has been restored under Deng Xiao-ping from 1982 to the present time.
Taoism currently has about 20 million followers, and is primarily centered in Taiwan. About 30,000 Taoists live in North America; 1,720 in Canada (1991 census). Taoism has had a significant impact on North American culture in areas of "acupuncture, herbalism, holistic medicine, meditation and martial arts..."

Mt. Qingcheng
With a height of 2434 meter, Mt. Qingcheng (Qingchengshan), one of the ancient cradles of Taoism is located 75 km away to the north west of Chengdu. It has numerous Taoist temples and sites along the paths to its peak. The area is green all year round and is known for its secluded tranquility.
Jianfu Temple (Jianfu Gong) is nestled at the foot of the mountain and is a large, well-preserved Taoist temple from the Tang Dynasty. Tianshi Cave (Tianshi Dong), the temple and school of Zhang Daolin which lies on the way up to the mountain, is a famous Taoist master who taught here and contributed greatly to spreading Taoism in China. The present Tianshi Cave buildings were built at the end of the Qing Dynasty. Lastly, near the peak sits Shangqing Temple, which was originally established in the Jin Dynasty, while the current temple buildings are constructions from the Qing Dynasty.

ACTIVITIES
Taiji Demonstration in the Monastery of Heaven
Our master gives us an exhibition of Taiji, which combines healing arts and the swift movements of martial arts. Afterwards, our own personal Chinese Taiji class starts with a demonstration of the basic steps of Taiji, and then our master teaches us how to execute a few of these graceful, flowing exercises together with him, helping us discover one of China’s most highly praised arts.

Buddhism Lecture in Beijing
In Beijing, on the day we visit the Zhihua Monastery, an expert will give us a lecture on Buddhism in China. In China, Buddhism is a very prosperous religion and has many different schools, like Chan Buddhism, Secret Buddhism and Tibetan Buddhism and in the further south like Yunnan, Hinayana is very popular too.

Calligraphy in Xi’an with our Master
A calligraphy class is definitely a great addition to our visit to the Forest of Steles. Calligraphy is an art dating back to earliest Chinese history, and is widely practiced throughout China to this day. Besides the physical aspects, Chinese calligraphy is a mental and spiritual discipline. We will learn to appreciate one of China’s most important art forms. We have the unique opportunity to visit a local calligraphy master and learn the subtle differences between each style, and follow our teacher in a session of calligraphy art. Holding the big brush pens in hand, the children can experience Chinese culture and learn how people wrote in Old China with the master’s help.

Tibet culture learning in Tibet
Tibet, well-know as the Roof of the World and The Third Pole of the Globe, is located at the Southwest part of China, with a land area of 1.22 million square kilometers and a population of 2.3 million, in which, 95% are Tibetan nationality. The history, the culture, the religion and customs are so different from the Han culture in China. Even throughout the whole world, it is a mysterious area with its uniqueness. Therefore, we invited our expert to acknowledge us Tibetan culture and Tibetan Buddhism.

Pingyao Ancient Town
Pingyao, a small town in Shanxi, is famous for its well-preserved ancient city wall and quaint downtown area. Historically, it was an important communications hub on the Yellow River, and developed into a regional financial center.The result was a wealthy town that today preserves wonderful examples of Qing Dynasty architecture.
In November 1986, the city was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. We also will visit a family living beside the City Building (Shi Lou) to learn how to make lanterns. Usually, they make lanterns in the Chinese New Year period. A 70 year old man will teach us how to make lanterns in the traditional way.

Touring the Terracotta Warriors in Xi’an
One of the most remarkable archaelogical discoveries of all time, 6,000 life-size terracotta warriors and horses stand in neat formation to greet us. The army is part of the burial site of Qin Shihuang the first emperor of China, and has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The impressive sight of row upon row of unique figurines is truly awe-inspiring. Except for visiting public three pits in the museum, we will also have chance to visit private and unopened section.

Panda in Chengdu
The sharply contrasting black and white coloration, plus the stocky shape of a bear, makes the giant panda one of the most recognizable animals in the world. Pandas are found only in southwestern China, along the eastern edge of the Tibetan plateau. Although they were once more widespread, today they are limited to six small areas in Sichuan, Gansu, and Shaanxi provinces, totaling only 14,000 square kilometers (5,400 square miles). We will go to Sichuan province, the hometown of the giant panda to learn more about these intriguing creatures.

Local Expert
For this program, we will have two local experts on introducing the Buddhism and Tibetan culture.

Comfort Level
Moderate
This is an educational cultural tour combined the moderate outdoor activities. In general, group will have 6-8 hours of walking and touring each day. The highest altitude area is in Lhasa –Tibet.

Concise Itinerary:
Day1-3: Beijing
Day4: Datong
Day5-6: Wutaishan
Day7: Pingyao
Day8-9:Xi’an
Day10-12: Chengdu
Day13-15: Lhasa
Day16: Chengdu
Day17: Flying home