Southern China Tour 2022

Today your guide will pick you up at the airport and take you to the hotel for a good rest. If you have any questions, you can contact him or her. With a permanent population of 25 million and a total area of about 6,300 square kilometers, Shanghai is a megac city in China. It is also widely acknowledged as the fashion capital, which makes it known as “the Paris of the East”.

In the morning, we will first visit the Jade Buddha Temple. As one of the top ten attractions in Shanghai, it is built in the architectural style of the Song Dynasty (960-1279), with a floor area of 8,856 square meters. In the Qing Dynasty (1636-1912), following the spirit of Master Xuanzang who was a monk in the Tang Dynasty (618-907), Master Huigen, a monk from Mount Putuo, went on a pilgrimage to ancient India to worship the Buddha. Along the way, he visited Mount Wutai, Mount Emei, and other famous Buddhist mountains. After the pilgrimage to ancient India was over, he went to Myanmar. Under the sponsorship of the local overseas Chinese, he carved five jade Buddha statues by using the local jade and intended to send the Buddha statue to Mount Putuo. When he passed through Shanghai, the Buddhists in Shanghai requested sincerely that one or two Buddha statues can be left in Shanghai. As a result, a sitting Buddha and a reclining Buddha now are enshrined in Shanghai. Then the temple was built and named Jade Buddha Temple for housing the two jade Buddha statues. 

And then we will go to the Yu Garden (closed each Monday). The garden was actually a private garden built by Pan Yunduan, an official of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). If you want to learn the architecture of southern Chinese gardens, taking a tour of Yu Garden is the best choice. The most noteworthy is the Exquisite Jade Rock in the Garden, one of the three famous strange rocks in southern China. In ancient China, literati like to collect strange stones and rocks. The Exquisite Jade Rock is about 3 meters high and 1.5 meters wide. In the rock, there are hundreds of holes, making the whole stone like a honeycomb. Exquisite Jade Rock was originally a tribute to the Song Dynasty emperor. After several twists and turns, it belonged to Pan Yunduan. Legend has it that a ship loading the Exquisite Jade Rock was crossing the Huangpu River, a sudden gust of wind blew up the river, giving rise to the sinkage of the ship along with the rock. Pan thought this was not a good omen and must try to retrieve it. To his surprise, a rock was scooped up together with the Exquisite Jade Rock, and this new one can exactly be the base of Exquisite Jade Rock. Pan thought the Exquisite Jade Rock is auspicious, so he put it in his garden. You could enjoy this lucky rock onsite when you take your Shanghai tour in 2022.

After lunch, we will come to the Shanghai Tower, a high-rise landmark building in Shanghai. The Tower stands 632 meters high, which is two times the height of the Eiffel Tower and is the second tallest building in the world. Visiting Shanghai Tower is the highlight of our Shanghai tour 2022. You will take the fastest elevator that will bring you to an altitude of about 600 meters within just 55 seconds. There is no need to worry about being so high, because the foundation of Shanghai Tower is 88 meters underground, and there are 980 foundation piles in the foundation. All of these make Shanghai Tower withstand level 16 typhoons and magnitude-8 earthquakes, much safer than other high-rise buildings.

Next, we will come to the Bund, located on the west bank of the Huangpu River, a historical and cultural district in Shanghai. It is also a landmark of Shanghai. In 1844, the Bund area was zoned into the British Concession. The Bund is known for the Bund International Architecture Exhibition Group, because there situate 52 classical Renaissance buildings of different styles, including British Greco-Roman, British New Greco-Roman, French Greco-Roman, Gothic, Baroque, and modern Western-style. You may find buildings similar to those in your country.

Finally, we’ll come to Nanjing Road, one of the busiest commercial streets in China. It’s more than 1,000 meters long and about 20 meters wide. The M&M’S World Store is right up the street, you will see the longest M&M’S candy wall in the world. If you are a candy lover, this is your paradise. If you want to experience Chinese dessert, the dessert in Sunya Dessert Shop is a must for you. All kinds of desserts feature a unique combination of colors, and you can find different colors and styles of them. In addition to various cooking methods, many different fillings are offered, including meat and vegetable, and a variety of sweet and salty ingredients. At the same time, some desserts also mix some techniques and characteristics of western pastry. Some western pastry ingredients are selected, such as chocolate and cream. If you like, you can also buy it back and share it with your friends. It must be a nice gift.

Yu Garden

The Bund

In the morning, we will drive westward from Shanghai to Suzhou for about 100 kilometers and 1.5 hours. Suzhou, a famous scenic tourist city in China, has enjoyed the reputation of being a paradise on earth since ancient times. The water area of Suzhou accounts for about 50% of its total area. Therefore, it is also rich in fish and rice.

After arriving in Suzhou, we will first go to Tiger Hill, an attraction with a history of about 2,500 years. Many interesting stories surround its name. This place was named Haiyong Mountain originally. In 496 BC, King of State Wu took advantage of the occasion when the King of State Yue died and led his troops to attack the State Yue. Unfortunately, the King of State Wu was seriously wounded and died on his way back. He was buried in the Haiyong Mountain. Three days later, a white tiger crouched on the top of the mountain. Therefore, some people said that this tiger was the soul of the King of Wu, so the mountain was called Tiger Hill and later became a famous attraction in Suzhou.

Next, we’ll visit Shantang Street, named after Shantang River. The street is about 3,600 meters long. Given its special location next to the famous Tiger Hill, it has now emerged as a busy commercial street with rich culture. Since ancient times, emperors and scholars made frequent appearances on Shantang Street, such as Emperor Qianlong and Emperor Kangxi in the Qing Dynasty. On top of its 1200-year history, Shantang Street rises to fame for it is always associated with a great poet and official, Bai Juyi. Many of his works have been included in modern textbooks. In 825 AD, Bai Juyi was an official in Suzhou. Although he only served for 17 months, he ordered 100,000 people to dig Shantang River and develop a road called Shantang Street. Therefore, to this day, people here still respect him very much. You will learn more about Chinese history here.

After lunch, we will go to the Lingering Garden, a classical garden in Suzhou built in the Ming Dynasty. It is well-known for its exquisite architectural layout and numerous rare stones. It is also one of the four famous gardens in China. In Lingering Garden, Yuanyang Hall is an important form of garden architecture, which makes it a must-see attraction for visitors. Yuanyang (mandarin ducks) is a kind of water bird that stays faithful to its mate throughout its lifetime. Therefore, “Yuanyang” in Chinese often refers to a couple. If you look from the outside of the hall, there is one room, but from the inside, there are two halls, the men’s hall and women’s hall, which are just like a couple. The decorations of the two are different. In the past, the Chinese thought that men were superior to women. Therefore, the men’s hall is gorgeous, while the women’s hall is relatively simple. Even the brick of the men’s hall on the ground is larger than that of the women’s hall. You will have an in-depth comprehension of Chinese culture after the visit.

And then, we will go to the Master of Nets Garden built in the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), which was a private garden at the time. Its owner was Shi Zhengzhi, a book collector of the Song Dynasty. In the Qing Dynasty, it was purchased and rebuilt by Song Zongyuan, an official at the time, and named the Master of Nets Garden. Covering an area of about half a hectare, the Master of Nets Garden is the smallest garden in Suzhou, but it is famous for its delicacy. In 1978, people from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the United States, visited Suzhou. They were attracted by the Master of Nets Garden and decided to build a similar garden in their museum. In 1980, the museum built a classical garden “Ming Xuan” modeled on the Peony Study of the Master of Nets Garden. Ming Xuan was designed and built by Suzhou craftsmen, which caused a sensation in the United States. During the construction period, former US President Nixon visited “Ming Xuan” several times. If you’re from New York, I’m sure you’ve heard something about it.

After the end of the day’s journey, we will stay in Suzhou hotel. You could have a good rest at the hotel or go out and have a look at the night scenery of Suzhou, which is also a good choice.

Lingering Garden

Shantang Street

In the morning, we will drive south for about 160 kilometers. After about 2 hours, we will arrive at the beautiful city Hangzhou, which is the capital of Zhejiang Province. As the Chinese saying goes, “Up in heaven, there is paradise; down on earth, there are Suzhou and Hangzhou”. In Hangzhou, you will enjoy the paradise-level scenery.

After arriving in Hangzhou, we will first visit the West Lake, and have a cruise experience. The lake is surrounded by mountains on three sides. There are the Ten Scenes of West Lake, the most worth-visiting attractions around the West Lake, including Dawn on the Su Causeway in Spring, Wine-making Yard and Lotus Pool in Summer, Moon over the Peaceful Lake in Autumn, Remnant Snow on the Bridge in Winter, Leifeng Pagoda in the Sunset, Orioles Singing in the Willows, Fish Viewing at the Flower Pond, Moon and Candlelight Mirrored in the Lake, Evening Bell Ringing at the Nanping Hill, and Two Peaks Piercing the Clouds. You can see different views from different directions of the West Lake. For example, on the west of the West Lake, you can see the Dawn on the Su Causeway in Spring. Su Causeway is actually a long causeway built by Su Shi (a great poet, calligrapher and painter as well as an official at the time) on the West Lake in the Song Dynasty. In order to commemorate Su Shi, people named it Su Causeway. This is the best place to view the West Lake, and you must not miss it.

Then your guide will take you to the Lingyin Temple, an ancient Buddhist temple in China. Founded in the Eastern Jin Dynasty (326 A.D), the temple has a history of 1,700 years, which is as old as San Marino, one of Europe’s oldest republics. As the earliest famous temple in Hangzhou, the Lingyin Temple houses a vast collection of Buddhist texts. It was rebuilt in many dynasties and has become a typical example of the temple structure in southern China. The Lingyin Temple has a strange custom, that is, the main gate is never open and everyone has to enter through the side door. Since ancient times, the main gate of the Lingyin Temple has only been opened when the emperor came. Emperor Kangxi was the last emperor to walk through the main gate. It is said that Emperor Qianlong (the grandson of Emperor Kangxi) came to the temple in casual wear, and the monk did not believe that he was the emperor, so the monk did not open the main gate for him. Then Emperor Qianlong issued an imperial decree that no matter who came, the front door would never be opened. We still follow this tradition today. Therefore, we visit Lingyin Temple from the side door.

After lunch, you will visit the Meijiawu Tea Plantation, which is located in an ancient village, Meijiawu Village. The village boasts a history of more than 600 years and is famous for its tea, especially the Longjing tea. Only about 500 residents live here, but there is an area of 1,540,000 square meters of tea plantations. Here you can experience the traditional Chinese tea-making techniques which involve an elaborate and complex process, including picking, drying, rolling and frying. Each step requires a long time of practice. The tea plantation has received the visits of the heads of state and government from the United States, Vietnam, Romania, Cambodia as well as other visitors from all over the world.

Afterwards, we will go to the Six Harmonies Pagoda, which was built in the Song Dynasty. According to legend, the pagoda was built to suppress the river tide to prevent flooding. It later became a symbol of peace and harmony. Since 2007, famous calligraphers have been invited to inscribe blessings for tourists and citizens under the Six Harmonies Pagoda every year. If you see the inscription at this place, you will also get blessings. The most special thing about the pagoda is that if you look from the outside, you can see 13 stories, but from the inside, there are only 7 stories, which is also a miracle of architecture.

After visiting the Six Harmonies Pagoda, we will drive back to Shanghai from Hangzhou. Shanghai is in the northeast of Hangzhou. The whole journey is 180 kilometers, about 2.5 hours.

West Lake

Six Harmonies Pagoda

In the morning, you will take the estimated flight MU2007 12:50/15:30 to Macau. Your tour guide will wait for you in the arrival hall and then take you to the hotel. Macau has a land area of only 32 square kilometers yet a population of about 700,000. As a result, Macau has become one of the most densely populated cities in the world. The gambling industry of Macau plays an important role in its economy. Together with Monte Carlo and Las Vegas, Macau is known as the world’s three major gambling cities. Macau is known as “Las Vegas of the East”.

In the morning, we will visit the Ruins of St. Paul’s Church. It has a history of more than 350 years and is a landmark building in Macau and a world cultural heritage. The Ruins of St. Paul’s Church is about 27 meters high and 23.5 meters wide. A fire in 1835 renders St. Paul’s church becoming ruins with only the front gate left. Attached to St. Paul’s college, the St. Paul’s church was the largest Catholic Church in the east at that time. The college is the first Western-style university in the Far East. From the 15th century to the 17th century, many foreign missionaries came to China to study Chinese, making the college an important base for these missionaries. Nowadays, the ruins of St. Paul’s Church has become one of the symbols of Macau, and it is also a must for tourists to visit. Many Macau people like to take wedding photos here as a souvenir. If you like, you can also take photos here to share with your friends.

Next, we will go to Senado Square, which covers an area of 3700 square meters and is one of the four major squares in Macau. The square was named after the Leal Senado. In the 1970s, a new fountain was built in the center of the square. Above the fountain, there is a sphere called Armillary Sphere, which symbolizes the most glorious sailing time in Portugal (Macau was colonized by Portugal). Festivals and large-scale activities are held here, such as the Chinese New Year and the international art festival. During the festivals and activities, relevant organizations and government will hold performances here for the public to watch. In addition, the “Macau Lotus Festival” held in June will exhibit 3000 pots of lotus with more than 60 varieties. If you come here in June, you may have the opportunity to witness the grand scene.

Then, we will go to the Casino of the Grand Lisboa Hotel before lunch. The hotel has been selected as one of the 20 most iconic buildings in the world. It is 258 meters high and looks like a huge golden lotus (lotus is considered the emblematic flower of Macau). Walking inside the hotel, you will see a huge casino. You could just have a visit or take your chance.

After lunch, we will climb to the Macau Tower. The tower cost a total of 1 billion patacas (about 124.9 million US dollars) and took three years to complete. The Macau Tower, one of the world’s top ten observation towers, integrates sightseeing, conference, and entertainment. As an observation tower, the Macau Tower is taller than the Eiffel Tower. It is the 8th tallest in the world and the highest sightseeing steel tower in Southeast Asia. Standing on the sightseeing gallery of the tower, you can get a panoramic view of Macau City and Zhuhai City. If the weather is good, there is also a chance to see Hong Kong’s Lantau Island.

Finally, we will visit the A-ma Temple, which has a history of more than 500 years. “A-ma” means “mother” in Fujian dialect. A-Ma, who originally referred to Lin Mo, was born in Fujian Province in the Song Dynasty. She was very clever from an early age. Later, a Taoist priest taught her magic, which she used to rescue ships in distress at sea. Therefore, people called her the god of the sea, and she was regarded as the mother of those who lived by the sea. Gradually, people respectfully called her A-ma and built temples for her. There is a legend about this temple. In the 1980s, there was a big fire in the A-Ma Temple, and all temple buildings were burned down. The statue of A-ma in the center of the shrine was only blackened by the smoke. The beam fell down in the front of the statue, but the statue was not damaged at all. People think it’s the A-ma’s magic.

Senado Square

Macau Tower

This morning will be your free time. You can enjoy the local culture with your family and friends. Please ask your tour guide if you have any questions. Wish all of you have a good time in Macau.

In the afternoon, we will take a ferry for about an hour to Hong Kong. Getting on the ferry means that your journey to Hong Kong in 2022 will begin soon. Our Hong Kong tour guide will pick you up at the Hong Kong ferry terminal and then you will be taken to the local hotel for a good rest. If you have any questions, our tour guide is waiting to answer. Hong Kong has a total land area of 1106.66 square kilometers. By the end of 2020, the total population was about 7.5 million. As a result, Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated cities in the world. Hong Kong is also a highly prosperous free port and an international metropolis. Together with New York and London, Hong Kong is also known as “Nylonkong”. Hong Kong is the third-largest financial center in the world, and is rated as the third first-tier city in the world by Globalization and World Cities. I am sure you will soon enjoy the prosperity of Hong Kong.

In the morning, we will go to Victoria Peak, a must-see place for visitors to Hong Kong. We will arrange for you to take the Peak Tram, which will give you an unforgettable ride to the top of the peak. The Peak Tram here is one of the world’s oldest and most famous trams. The entire line of the tram is towed along a steep slope from 28 meters above sea level to 396 meters above sea level. You will enjoy views of Victoria Barbour along the way. Sitting in the carriage, you can’t help but lean backward, as part of the route slopes from 4 to 25.7 degrees. You will probably feel as if the buildings and trees have fallen to one side. Visiting the Victoria Peak with riding the Peak Tram is a great experience for your Hong Kong tour. After arriving at the peak, you will overlook the fantastic city view of Hong Kong.

And then, we will come to Stanley Market, an open-air market where you can shop anything you like and experience the fun of bargaining. It is a good choice to buy some local things to share with your friends. Stanley Market has gathered a variety of small shops selling products, including clothes, painting, food, souvenirs, etc. If you love shopping, this is your paradise. Besides, many bars and cafes can be found here, so you can also have a break here.

The last destination is Aberdeen Fishing Village. Of the many famous fishing villages in Hong Kong, Aberdeen has important historical significance for the name of Hong Kong originated here. It is said that in 1841, when the British army landed near Stanley, a fisherman in the village called this place “Hong Kong” in dialect. Since then, Hong Kong has acquired its English name. Here you could take a sampan ride to have a view of this old small fishing village.

Stanley Market

Aberdeen Fishing Village

Today, your nine-day journey from Shanghai to Hong Kong officially ends. Your tour guide will accompany you to the airport. Then you will board your flight and back home. Welcome to China next time.

Editor: Chen Guohua

Proofreader: Summer Hou