China Escorted Tour from Shanghai to Beijing

Upon your arrival, your guide will be waiting for you at the arrival hall. Then, you will be transferred to the hotel, and the guide will help you check in. You can have a nice rest after a long and tiring flight.

Shanghai is the largest economic and commercial center in China, with a population of over 20 million. It is a modern metropolis without losing traditional Chinese culture and an international city integrating with different cultures from all over the world. The classic western buildings and the modern skyscrapers harmoniously stand in this city, forming its unique features. Your best escorted tours to China will begin from here.

After breakfast, you will go to visit the Jade Buddha Temple. It is an old Buddhist temple, first built in 1882 and rebuilt in 1918. The temple was originally built to preserve two jade Buddha statues that were brought back from Burma by Monk Huigen. One of them is the sitting Buddha, and the other is the reclining Buddha. The sitting Buddha is 1.9 meters high in the status of meditation. The beautifully carved reclining Buddha is 0.96 meters in length with its right hand supporting the head and the left hand placing on the left leg. Besides these two jade Buddha statues, there are three gold-plated Buddhas statues in this temple. Whether you are a Buddhist or not, you will be amazed at these precious cultural relics.

Then, you will head to visit the Yu Garden (closed each Monday). It once was a private garden of a government officer of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Although the Yu Garden only covers 20,000 square meters, it contains all elements that a classical Chinese garden should have. Here, you can appreciate artfully arranged trees, flowers, pavilions, rockeries, lakes, etc. During your tour in Yu Garden, you will see the Great Rockery, the oldest and largest rockery in south China. The rockery is 14 meters in height, and on the top of it, you can have a bird’s view of the garden. Wandering around the Yu Garden, you can also see the grotesque Exquisite Jade Rock, one of the three most famous rockeries in south China. It is 3.3 meters high. And there are 72 holes in it. It is said that when pour water into it from the top, the water will flow out from each hole, just like 72 small-size waterfalls.

After lunch, you will go to the Shanghai Tower, the second-tallest building in the world with 632 meters in height. It is designed with a spiraling shape. The shape symbolizes a Chinese dragon. The building has many functions, such as sightseeing, shopping, business and dining. You can take the world’s fastest elevator to go up to the 118th-floor observation deck (the world’s highest observation deck), and it takes only 55 seconds. On the observation deck, you can have a unique panoramic view of the Huangpu River, the Bund, and Shanghai skyscrapers.

Then, you will visit the Bund, a 1,500-meter-long stretch of waterfront along the Huangpu River. On the west bank of the Huangpu River stand over 30 buildings of various international architectural styles, such as French classical style, Gothic, Renaissance style, and Baroque, which make the Bund a “museum of international architecture”. These buildings are not designed by the same person, and not built in the same period, but they show a harmonious beauty. Looking far into the east bank of Huangpu River, you can see dense modern skyscrapers, giving you a distinctive contrast between modern life and old life. When you take photos of these buildings on the Bund, your guide can give you some tips about the best places and angles.

The last attraction of today is the 5.5-kilometers-long Nanjing Road, the world’s longest shopping district. Nanjing Road is known as the No.1 Business Street in China, like Champs Elysees in Paris and the Fifth Avenue in New York. Wandering along Nanjing Road, you can see modern shopping malls, cafés, specialty shops, and international hotels. Besides, some time-honored Chinese brands, such as Lao Da Fang, Lao Feng Xiang, and Duo Yun Xuan are also located here. Lao Da Fang sells smoked fish and pork moon cakes with a salty, sweet, and crispy taste; the century-old Lao Feng Xiang sells beautiful jewelry; Duo Yun Xuan sells Chinese paintings and calligraphy as well as relevant writing tools. You can buy some gifts for your friends and family members.

Jade Buddha Temple

Nanjing Road

This morning, we will drive for about two hours (112 KM) to Suzhou, a 2500-year-old city famous for breathtaking gardens.

The first attraction we will visit today is Tiger Hill. Helü, the king of Wu State during the Spring and Autumn Period (770BC-476BC), established his capital in Suzhou. Legend has it that Helü was buried nearby this hill, and three days after his burial, a white tiger appeared and guarded his tomb. So the hill was named “Tiger Hill”. It is only 34.3 meters in height, but there are many historical sites, enchanting natural landscape, and a Tiger Hill Pagoda on the top. The pagoda was built between 959 to 961 and it is a seven-floor building with a total height of 47 meters. Four hundred years ago, it began to tilt. Now, it has tilted for about 4 degrees to the northwest. For such a situation, it is also called the “Leaning Tower of Pisa in China”.

Then, you will have a visit to Shantang Street, built along the Shantang River in 825. It is an ancient riverside pedestrian street where you can find lots of stores selling Suzhou embroideries, silk items, and delicious snacks. Shantang Street extends about 3,600 meters. There are many bridges built over the river. About these bridges, there is an interesting story. According to a legend, Liu Bowen, a politician in the Ming Dynasty, foresaw that the “true son of dragon” (which symbolizes emperor in ancient China) would appear here when he saw the dragon-like Shantang River. He placed seven cat-shaped stone statues separately at the sites near seven bridges over the river to suppress the dragon in case that Zhu Yuanzhang (the emperor at that time) was overthrown by the “true son of dragon”. However, in the late 1950s, the seven cat-shaped stone statues were removed. And nobody knows where they have gone. In August 2006, the replicas of the seven cat-shaped stone statues were placed at the original sites, and each of them is about 1.4 meters tall. The seven cat-shaped stone statues represent elegance, wealth, knowledge, happiness, health, fate, and opportunity respectively. It is said that if you touch their heads, you will be blessed. So many visitors come here to touch these statues’ heads for a good blessing.

After lunch, you will go to the Lingering Garden, covering an area of 23,300 square meters. It is one of the four most famous gardens in China. In 1997, it was listed as one World Cultural Heritage Site. The architectural style of Lingering Garden is mainly the style of the Qing Dynasty (1636-1912). The garden consists of four sections:Central, East, North, and West. In the Central Garden, you can see several exquisite buildings around the pond. In the Eastern Garden, you can see a rockery named Guanyun Peak(Cloud-crowned Peak) and a hall named Wufengxian Hall(Celestial Hall of Five Peaks, praised as the No.1 Hall in south China). The Western Garden is the highest section where you can see a group of maple trees and have a panoramic view of the landscape. In the northern garden, you can find over 500 Bonsai in different shapes.

Then, you will have a visit to the Humble Administrator’s Garden, and it is also one of the four most famous gardens in China. The garden was originally built in 1509 during the Ming Dynasty. It is the largest and most famous garden in Suzhou with an area of 52,000 square meters. Here, you can see water scenery, green hills, delicate buildings, lush trees and flowers. The whole garden can be divided into three parts:East, Central, and West. The Eastern Garden is the largest part and its main building is the Orchid and Snow Hall where you can find a panoramic map of the entire garden. The Western Garden is mainly dominated by water and rocks. The main building of the Central Garden is the Hall of Distant Fragrance. In summer, when all the lotuses blossom, the fragrance will waft into the building.

Lingering Garden

Tiger Hill

This morning, we will drive southward for about 2.5 hours to Hangzhou, 150 kilometers away from Suzhou. Upon arrival, you will first have lunch, and then your escorted tours in Hangzhou will begin. Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang Province, is famous for its natural beauty and cultural heritage.

After lunch, you will visit West Lake. West Lake is the main recreational area for local people and one of the most beautiful attractions in China. West Lake is surrounded by mountains on three sides and divided into many parts by four causeways. Su Causeway and Bai Causeway are the most popular ones where you can see most of the lake’s scenery. Besides, you can see two pagodas (Leifeng Pagoda and Baochu Pagoda) facing each other on the south and north side of the West Lake. West lake is famous not just for its scenery but also for its legendary stories. Of all the stories, the most touching one is the love story between Xu Xian (a mortal man) and Bai Suzhen (a thousand-year-old white snake spirit who later became a deity). They fell in love with each when they first met on a rainy day at the West Lake area, and then they got married. But the marriage was opposed by Fa Hai (an evil monk). He ruthlessly separated them, for their different identities, and imprisoned Bai Suzhen under the Leifeng Pagoda. Xuxian had tried to rescue Bai Suzhen in all manner of ways and finally, he succeeded. Later, they lived happily together ever after. For this love story, the West Lake has become an ideal dating place and even a place for coming across your Mr. Right.

Then, you will go to visit the Lingyin Temple, located west of West Lake. It is one of the oldest Buddhist temples in China with a history of over 1,700 years. The temple was originally built by an Indian monk named Huili. According to the legend, Huili found that this place was sheltered by lush green hills on three sides. It was tranquil and unworldly. He thought that there must be some deities hiding here, so he gave it the name “Lingyin Temple” ( ‘Ling’ means deity and ‘yin’ means hide in Chinese.) Its main buildings are the Hall of Heavenly Kings, Grand Hall of Great Sage, and Medicine Buddha Hall. In the Hall of Heavenly Kings, you can see the Maitreya statue, a laughing Buddha with a huge belly. Entering the Grand Hall of Great Sage, you will be attracted by the statue of Sakyamuni. It is the biggest camphorwood-carved sitting statues with a total height of 24.8 meters. After the tour, you will return to Shanghai. The distance between these two places is about 200 miles, which will take about three hours.

West Lake

Lingyin Temple

This morning, your guide will help you check out and escort you to the airport. You will take the estimated flight HU7846 12:15/14:45 to Xi’an. The local guide will pick you up, and then you will be transferred to the hotel. Xi’an is the starting point of the Silk Road and the hometown of President Xi Jinping. During your escorted tours in Xi’an, you will not only see many well-known historical sites but also can taste delicious foods.

Free time suggestion:

If you want to walk around Xi’an by yourself during free time, we will recommend you to visit Great Tang All Day Mall, a 1,500-meter pedestrian street. It combines functions of shopping, sightseeing, dining, recreation, etc. Walking along the street, you can enjoy exquisite buildings featuring the style of Tang Dynasty (618-907) and street performances. You may see that a young lady wearing Tang-style clothes rotates freely on a semi-circular base like a tumbler. She elegantly interacts with the audience. Walking to the North Square, you can see the largest music fountain show in Asia. You are highly recommended to watch the show at night.

Show time:

12:00-12:10; 16:00-16:10; 19:00-19:10; 21:00-21:10

This morning, we will drive northeast for about an hour (40 kilometers) to the Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses Museum, one of the 8th Wonders of the World. It is a magnificent project built for Emperor Qin Shi Huang(259BC-210BC), the first Emperor of China. There are about 8,000 life-sized Terra Cotta Warriors excavated at present and each of them has distinctive expression. Besides, different ranks of warriors have different hairstyles and clothes. The warriors are so lifelike that there has been a rumor that they were made of real people. People believed that they were wrapped with a layer of clay and then were burned in a kiln. With the help of CT, archaeologists found that the top of Terra Cotta Warriors is hollow and their legs and feet are solid. Then the rumor was refuted.

After lunch, you will have a visit to the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, one of the World Heritage Sites. It is a well-preserved ancient Buddhist building, first built in 652, to store Buddhist sutras and Buddha statues that were taken from India by a monk called Xuanzang. The number of stories of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda has changed four times. The pagoda was originally 60 meters tall with 5 stories. Then the Emperor Li Zhi ordered to rebuilt the pagoda by making it into 9 stories. However, in 704, Empress Wu Zetian made it a 10-story tall building. In 1556, an earthquake damaged the pagoda, and the pagoda became a 7-story pagoda. Since then, although the pagoda was repaired and refurbished, it remains at the height of 7 stories.

Then, you will go to Muslim Street, a 500-meter pedestrian street. The buildings on both sides of the street are of styles of Ming and Qing Dynasties. Wandering along the street, you can see lots of food stalls, restaurants, and souvenir stores. Most of them sell delicious local foods which we strongly recommend you to taste, such as Liangpi(noodle-like Chinese dish made from wheat or rice flour), Rougamo(Chinese burger), and Biang Biang Noodles. Liangpi is provided by mixing with a sauce made of salt, vinegar, hot chili oil and especially Chinese sesame paste and julienned cucumber on the top. Rougamo means “meat sandwiched in bread”, and the meat is stewed with over 20 seasonings. Local people often eat Liangpi and Rougamo together. Biang Biang Noodles is a kind of wide noodles topped with eggs, tomatoes, diced meat, and chili sauce.

Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses Museum

Big Wild Goose Pagoda

This morning, you will depart to Beijing by taking the estimated high-speed train G56 09:20/13:49. Beijing’s guide will transfer you to the hotel.

After breakfast, you will first visit Tian’anmen Square, located on the axis of Beijing. It is the largest city square in the world, covering an area of 440,000 square meters. Here, you can see the Tian’anmen Gatetower, Monument to the People’s Heroes, Chairman Mao Zedong Memorial Hall, etc. Besides, you will see Chinese national flag waving above the square. The flagpole is 32.6 meters in height, but the national flag stops at 28.3 meters high while raising. This phenomenon has a specific meaning. The Communist Party of China was founded in July 1921, and the People’s Republic of China was founded in October 1949. The difference between these two dates is 28 years and 3 months. So this special height is to commemorate the two meaningful events. Besides, the guardrail of the flagpole base consists of 56 yellow copper piers symbolizing the unity of China’s 56 ethnic groups.

Then, you will go to the Forbidden City (closed each Monday). It is the best-preserved imperial palace in China and the largest ancient palace complex in the world. The Forbidden City was home to 24 emperors (14 of the Ming Dynasty and 10 of the Qing Dynasty) and their families. It was built from 1406 to 1420 by over 1,000,000 workers. The moat encircling the Forbidden City was first built in 1420 and extended in 1760. It has a total length of 3,530 meters, 52 meters in width, and 4.1 meters in depth. The moat has three main functions. First, in the ancient time, it was used to prevent the enemy from crossing the river to attack the palace. Second, it can provide enough water in a very short time to extinguish fires because most of the buildings are made of wood. Third, it can discharge the rainwater in rainy season to prevent the Forbidden City from being flooded.

After lunch, you will go to visit the Temple of Heaven, located southeast of the Forbidden City. It is the largest sacrificial site in the world where emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties worshiped the god of Heaven and prayed for a good harvest. In 1998, it was listed in the World Heritage Sites. The Temple of Heaven consists of the inner temple and the outer temple. The inner temple where the main buildings stand is divided into south and north parts. The two parts are connected by a 360-meter long, 4-meter wide walkway, called Red Throne Steps Bridge. In ancient times, the middle way on the Red Throne Steps Bridge was called “Sacred Road” that only allowed the Gods of Heaven and Earth to walk on. The left side of the “Sacred Road” was the “Imperial Road” for the emperor while the right side of it was the “Royal Road” for the princes and ministers. Nowadays, it has become a popular attraction, and anyone can walk on it.

The last attraction of today is the Summer Palace, the largest and best-preserved imperial garden in China. There are more than 3,000 ancient buildings, including bridges, corridors, pavilions, towers, etc. It is built on the basis of Kunming Lake and Longevity Hill. Kunming Lake takes up about three-quarters of the total area of the Summer Palace. There are three islands on Kunming Lake. Such a design is in line with the principle of “three islands and one lake” for imperial gardens. Besides, there are two causeways, namely the East Causeway and the West Causeway. The West Causeway imitated the Su Causeway of the West Lake in Hangzhou. The glistening waters, the well-arranged islands, and the meandering causeways together form an impressive view of the Summer Palace.

Forbidden City

Summer Palace

This morning, you will go to the Hutong. Hutong is the narrow alley or lane between rows of Siheyuan (refers to a quadrangle courtyard in Beijing), with a history of over 700 years. However, the Hutongs are disappearing because of the expansion of modern buildings, and nowadays, there are several hundreds of Hutongs left. Beijing’s narrowest Hutong is only 0.4 meters wide, and the widest Hutong is 32.18 meters wide. The longest Hutong is 1,552 meters in length and the shortest Hutong is only about 30 meters in length. You can take a rickshaw to explore the ancient Hutongs and traditional Siheyuan buildings. If you are interested, we can arrange a family visit for you where you can learn how to make dumplings, cut papers, or write Chinese characters with a calligraphy brush.

After lunch, we will drive northward for about 1.5 hours to the Mutianyu Great Wall, about 70 kilometers away from the Hutongs. It is one of the best-preserved sections of the Great Wall with a total length of 5,400 meters. Twenty-three watchtowers were spaced 100 meters apart along the wall. Some of the watchtowers are seldom seen along other sections of the Great Wall. Taking the No.6 Watchtower as an example, it is composed of three hollow watchtowers, which is a special design. You can choose to take a cable car or a chairlift up and take a cable car or an exciting toboggan down.

Hutong

Mutianyu Great Wall

Today your China escorted tour will come to an end. After breakfast, your guide will help you check out and escort you to the airport according to your flight schedule. Look forward to your next China tour with us!

Author: Yibo Zhang

Proofreader: Yan Liu