Essential China Tour 2022

Welcome to Beijing! Our tour guide and driver will meet you at the airport. And then they will take you to the hotel for a good rest. This is the first stop of your 7-day China tour. As the capital of the People’s Republic of China, Beijing is not only famed as one of the world’s most influential economic and political center, but also enjoys an international reputation for its rich cultural and historical relics such as the Tian’anmen Square and the Great Wall. As a Chinese saying goes, one who has never walked on the Great Wall is not a true man. In this tour with us, you will see why Chinese people place so much significance on this stone structure. Hope you will enjoy the next few days!

Free time Suggestion: 

After a break at the hotel, we highly recommend that you go to Wangfujing Street to enjoy some free time. Wangfujing Street was named after the ten imperial residences or aristocratic estates (means Wangfu in Chinese) built around this area about 500-800 years ago, and several wells (means Jing in Chinese) full of sweet drinking water here. Wangfujing had attracted vendors and sellers from home and abroad since the Qing Dynasty (1636-1912) and later became an important commercial center. Today, Wangfujing is one of the busiest commercial districts in Beijing. Here, while walking along the street, you may find not only the world-famous luxury brands like Luis Vuitton and Prada, but also various local time-honored stores like Shengxifu Hat Store, which is praised for excellent workmanship and choice of materials. Notably, Chairman Mao Zedong was one of its customers. It will be interesting to start a tour in Beijing by exploring a well-acclaimed pedestrian street like Wangfujing. 

On the morning of Day 2, we will visit Tian’anmen Square, the biggest city center square in the world. On Tian’anmen Square, you can see landmarks of Beijing like Tian’anmen Gate Tower, Monument to the People’s Heroes, and Chairman Mao Memorial Hall. Tian’anmen Gate Tower was once the main gate of the Forbidden City during the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368-1912) and has a history of more than 600 years. In 1949, it served as the venue where Chairman Mao announced the founding of the People’s Republic of China. Therefore, it is usually regarded as the symbol of new China. 

Then, walk north for a few minutes and you will enter the Forbidden City (closed on Monday). It is the largest and best-preserved ancient wooden structure in the world. The Forbidden City covers an area of about 720,000 square meters. As the imperial palace of China’s Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368-1912), it is situated at the center of Beijing’s central axis. The Forbidden City used to stand for China’s supreme power, 24 emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties once lived in it. It has more than 70 palaces of different sizes and 9,999 rooms. It is constructed with that number of rooms because the number nine stood for supremacy in ancient China. At that time, anyone who tried to incorporate the number nine in their own lives would be punished. 

After lunch, we will visit hutongs and the Summer Palace. Hutongs are small alleys built in ancient times. There are thousands of hutongs in Beijing, which were formed during the Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties. Most of them were formed during the Yuan Dynasty (1271 – 1368) in the 13th century. Most of the hutongs run from east to west, and the width is generally no more than nine meters. There are usually Si He Yuan (courtyard houses) on both sides of the hutongs. Beijing people have a special feeling for hutongs. They are not only the passageways for people to get in and out of their homes, but also regarded as folk custom museums that show the more traditional lives of the locals. We will arrange a rickshaw tour in the hutongs for you to have a deeper look into them. Your guide will also take you into one of the courtyard houses to have a visit and some small talks with the locals. 

The Summer Palace was built in 1750, destroyed during the war in 1860, and restored on its original foundations in 1886. It is a great work of Chinese landscape garden design. It perfectly combines the natural view of hills and lakes with artificial features such as pavilions, halls, palaces, temples, and bridges. There’s one place you cannot miss during your visit-the Long Corridor. It is a 728-meter-long corridor with more than 14,000 colored paintings on the beams. The contents of the colorful paintings are mostly landscapes, flowers and bird pictures as well as the plots in the four classical Chinese masterpieces. The painters have concentrated thousands of years of Chinese history and culture on this long corridor. Come and see it with your own eyes!

Options:

Beijing Roast Duck, also known as Peking Duck, rose to the spotlight over 700 years ago in the royal palace in China. Beijing Roast Duck is traditionally served in slices and consumed with Chinese onion slices and soybean paste on a Chinese pancake. In the past, elaborate Beijing Roast Duck was reserved for the royal family, but now it is available to everyone who wants to have a try. The complicated cooking process yields crispy skin, as well as incredibly tender duck meat. 

If food doesn’t attract you, you can also choose to enjoy the Kungfu Show at Red Theater or the Peking Opera at Liyuan Theater. Both shows start at 19:30 and last for about 80 minutes. The Kungfu Show at Red Theater is a drama and also a perfect work of art that integrates Chinese martial arts, acrobatics, dance, and other artistic elements. 

The Liyuan Theater performs traditional Peking Opera all year round. The audience can enjoy Chinese tea while enjoying artists’ performances. In the exhibition hall in the theater, you can learn a brief history of Peking Opera and see photos of famous Peking Opera artists. Besides, at the souvenir store, you can purchase costumes, facial masks, musical instruments, paintings, as well as audio and video products with the characteristics of Peking Opera. If you are interested, you can also wear costumes, put on facial makeup and take photos as souvenirs.

Forbidden City

Hutongs

After breakfast, you will be picked up by our guide in the hotel and then drive to the Temple of Heaven, the Chinese imperial sacrifice place of the Ming and Qing Dynasties and the largest sacrifice complex in the world. It lies in the southeast of the Forbidden City, covering 273 hectares, nearly quadrupling the Forbidden City, and was listed as a World Heritage Site in 1998. First constructed in 1420 and ordered by Emperor Chengzu of the Ming Dynasty, the Temple of Heaven used to be a place only for emperors to hold the Heaven Worship Ceremony. In 1988, it was opened to the public as a park. 90% of it is covered in lush green vegetation, which makes it the “green lung” of Beijing. About 20,000-30,000 people or local residents visit the park or do exercises every day, playing Tai Chi, kicking shuttlecock, etc. Get up early in the morning and join the locals to do some exercises will be a good way to experience the real local life.

The next tourist spot is in northwest Beijing, about 1.5-hour driving (70 KM) from the downtown. Beijing is the best destination to admire the Great Wall of China, and Badaling Great Wall is the most representative part. The Great Wall is a general name for the large-scale military projects built by ancient Chinese people in different periods, resisting the invasion of the alliance of nomadic tribes in the northern part of the country. The remaining wall mainly belongs to those of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), which was built in the 14th century, ranging from Jiayuguan City in the west to Dandong City in the east, being 8,851.8 km long, which is about the length of the eastern coastline of the United States. The Badaling Great Wall is the most complete section and has been well preserved. Compared with other sections of the Great Wall, most of the stairs in Badaling are not too steep, and it is easy to climb. The cable cars here also make it easier for senior and disabled tourists.

Temple of Heaven

Badaling Great Wall

After breakfast, you will leave Beijing by taking the estimated flight MU5154 11:30/13:45 for Shanghai. Our tour guide in Beijing will send you to the airport and you will be picked up at Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport by your Shanghai tour guide. If we regard Beijing as the biggest brother who is serious and powerful enough in the Chinese family, then Shanghai is more like a younger brother who is full of energy. In the next few days, you will appreciate both the traditional culture and innovative spirit of this charming city.

After breakfast, you will visit the Jade Buddha Temple. The Jade Buddha Temple is located in the central area of Shanghai, a busy and modern area, yet you will feel quiet and peaceful once you enter the temple. In 1882, a monk named Huigen brought two jade Buddha statues from Burma to Shanghai. Thus, the Jade Buddha Temple was built to keep these two jade Buddha statues which are made of white jade. There are also many ancient paintings and Buddhist scriptures displayed here. Try to find the inner peace in your heart here.

Next, we will go to the Yu Garden (closed on Mondays). During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), a government officer named Pan Yunduan built the Yu Garden for his parents to enjoy a peaceful and happy time in their later years. It was named Yu Garden because Yu in Chinese means happy and pleasant. The Yu Garden is well-known for its classic architectural style, exquisite layout, and charming scenery. The most precious part of the garden is the Exquisite Jade Rock. The rock is 3.3 meters in height and is with 72 holes. There is an interesting fact that if you burn a joss stick under the rock, the smoke will float out from these 72 holes. 

Walking out of the Yu Garden, the next attraction we will visit is Shanghai Old Street. It is an old commercial street that combines sightseeing spots, entertainment places, and stores. It has a deep historical and cultural background due to the time-honored gold shops and tea houses. Ordering a cup of tea in a quaint teahouse as well as watching the charming street scenes and the crowd will be really enjoyable.

After lunch, we are going to visit the 426-meters high Shanghai Oriental Pearl TV Tower. It is in Lujiazui, a commercial area. There are two bridges standing on both sides of the tower, the Yangpu Bridge in the northeast and the Nanpu Bridge in the southwest. The two bridges look like two giant dragons, and the sphere of Oriental Pearl TV Tower is like the pearl they are playing with. They form a picture of “twin dragons playing with the pearl.” You can take the elevator with an introduction in both Chinese and English to the observation deck of the tower. Standing on the observation deck, you can get a spectacular view of Shanghai.

Then we will take you to the Bund. The Bund is one of the most appealing and attractive spots in Shanghai. It lies on the west bank of the Huangpu River (the river that separates Shanghai’s Pudong and Puxi districts). The Bund is filled with vintage buildings as well as modern shops and combines shopping with sightseeing. You will see dozens of classical buildings of different Western architectural styles. They were built in China’s colonial era in the late 19th century. Walking along the retro streets as well as seeing the modern stores and fashion people, you will be amazed by how time flies.

Then we will stroll to Nanjing Road. It is one of the busiest commercial streets in Shanghai and the earliest pedestrian street in China, with a history of more than 100 years. There are not only luxury brands from all over the world, such as Chanel and LV, but also many time-honored shops with a long history selling silk and jade articles. If you are a shopaholic, this place is your paradise. Every visitor can find their favorite souvenirs and gifts here. Taking the old-style Dangdang tram is also a good choice. You can enjoy the attractive street view from the slow-moving tram.

Good to Know: 

In addition to the beautiful scenery of Shanghai, Shanghai’s snacks are big treats you should not miss. For instance, Shanghai Savory Moon Cake (meat stuffed moon cake) is a must for you. This kind of moon cake is so unique because of its crust. Its crust is layered and flaky. If you take a bite, the moon cake will drop a lot of crumbs because the cooking ingredients and techniques have made the crust very crispy. The moon cake is filled with pickled minced pork. People often eat this savory snack during the Mid-Autumn Festival. As the Mid-Autumn Festival approaches, there are long queues around hotels that sell delicious moon cakes.

Yu Garden

The Bund

This morning we are going to drive about 200 kilometers southwest to Hangzhou, which will take about 3 hours. The first tourist attraction you will visit in Hangzhou is the West Lake. A famous Song Dynasty (960-1279) poet Su Dongpo had made a wonderful metaphor, in which he described the West Lake as Xi Zi, one of the four beauties in ancient China. This shows that the West Lake has been appreciated for its intoxicating scenery since ancient times. It is also famous for its romantic legends. Among all the legends, the most moving and popular one is the love story between Bai Suzhen, a white snake spirit, and Xu Xian, a mortal man. The couple overcame many difficulties and finally lived together happily near the West Lake. With the help of many love stories, the West Lake becomes a wonderful place for dating. In addition, enjoying the charming view on a boat is definitely a pleasant experience. We will arrange it for you!

Then we will drive for around 6 kilometers to the Lingyin Temple. The temple was first built in 326. The quiet and beautiful surroundings around the temple make it easy to relax as well as to experience a sense of peace and contemplation. When you enter the first hall of Lingyin Temple, you will be impressed by Maitreya, a giant laughing Buddha with a huge belly that represents a magnanimous and positive attitude. In addition, there are many other Buddha statues and Buddhist paintings as well as scriptures in the temple.

After lunch, you will visit Meijiawu Tea Plantation, also known as Meijiawu Tea Cultural Village. The small village is surrounded by green hills and numerous tea trees. With a long history of more than 600 years, this village is famous for its Longjing tea, which will be a nice and memorable gift for your family and friends. If you travel here in the spring, you will find the whole village surrounded by the special but pleasant smell of freshly roasted tea. And you will have a chance to pick up tea leaves and experience the complicated process of making tea. Isn’t it exciting?

Then you are going to visit the Six Harmonies Pagoda, a masterpiece of ancient Chinese. Located on Yuelun Mountain to the south of the West Lake, the Six Harmonies Pagoda is a traditional Chinese pavilion-style pagoda. This 13-story pagoda is 59.89 meters high. You will be impressed by its magnificent appearance and exquisite brick carvings inside. It faces the Qiantang River (famous for its annual Qiantang River Tide in autumn). Therefore, it is the perfect place to overlook the extraordinary scenery of the Qiantang River Tide. It is said that the Six Harmonies Pagoda was built to suppress this fierce annual tide. Seen from a distance, the Six Harmonies Pagoda does look like a mighty general standing by the Qiantang River.

At the end of the day, our driver will send you to the hotel in Shanghai.

West Lake

Six Harmonies Pagoda

That is the end of our trip. Our driver and tour guide will take you to the airport according to your flight schedule. Hope you have enjoyed this week-long Essential China Tour 2022. See you next time!

Author: Wu Jing

Proofreader: Li Yiwen