Day 3.
Beijing:
We started today with city sightseeing and later an optional tour of the Hutongs.
Beijing is the capital of the People’s Republic of China, and is China’s political, economic, cultural and scientific centre. It stands at the top of the North China Plain and is bordered on its north and west by an arc of mountains called the Western Hills.
The earliest records of a settlement date from around 1000BC, but its real history starts in the 13th century when Genghis Khan came to the town and proceeded to burn it down.
From the ashes he had Dadu, the ’Great Capital’, constructed. By 1279, his grandson Kublai Khan ruled most of Asia, and he renamed the city Khanbaliq, or Khan’s town. The present-day grid-like system of streets originates from this period. The Ming dynasty came to power in 1368, and with it the city was renamed Beiping - Northern Peace. It was not until the early 1400s that it was given its current name Beijing - Northern Capital. It was at this time that many of the temples and palaces were built, including the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven.

On today’s tour, we travelled right into the Forbidden City. The Imperial Palace, or Forbidden City, was the home of two dynasties of emperors, the Ming and the Qing, who ruled China from 1368 to 1911.
During this period it was forbidden for all but the most elite to enter the city, and the emperors themselves very rarely, if ever, left the grounds of the palace. The earliest parts of the palace were built between 1406 and 1420 by Emperor Yong Le. However, most of the buildings today date from the 18th century or later, as the palace was ravaged by numerous fires, often caused by the flamboyant firework displays put on for the emperors.
On the tour we also visited Tiananmen Square, a vast expanse, set in the heart of Beijing. Laid out originally in the Ming Dynasty, it is more often associated with Mao Zedong, who, during the Cultural Revolution, reviewed parades of troops numbering millions. The square is bordered by numerous icons, Tiananmen (Gate of Heavenly Peace), the History Museum and Museum of the Revolution, the Mao Mausoleum and the Monument to the People’s Heroes.
At the end of the visit we had the opportunity of joining a rickshaw tour of the Hutongs, Beijing’s charming old district, with its venerable houses and hefty wooden doors, cluttered courtyards and labyrinthine alleys.
That night we were invited to taste one of Northern China’s culinary classics - Peking Duck - at a local restaurant. This famous dish is said to have been developed in Chang’an over 1,200 years ago. The recipe has changed over the years, and today the duck is served with Chinese pancakes, spring onions and a bean paste.

Day 4.
Beijing:
This was one of the big days with an excursion to the Great Wall and the Ming Tombs
The full-day tour took us first into the Chinese countryside, and travelled through farmland and up steep mountain roads to the Great Wall of China itself.
We began with a visit to a jade carving factory, after which visited the Sacred Road, lined by 36 15th-century statues of men and animals, culminating in a giant turtle.
Next a visit the Ming Tombs at Shísán Líng. Each of these tombs held the body of an emperor, his wives and funerary treasures, and 13 of the 16 Ming emperors are buried here. We visited the tomb of Changling, the third Ming Emperor who ruled from 1403-24. This is the largest of the Ming Tombs, and is built on a vast scale.
After lunch in a local restaurant, we continued to the Great Wall at Badaling.
The Great Wall was built as a fortification, meant to block the route of invading nomads and other would-be aggressors. Over six metres high and six metres thick, it presented an awesome sight, but in fact was crossed by successive invasions. One famous head of state, the Mongol leader Genghis Khan, managed to cross the wall, it is said, by bribing the sentries. Perhaps this is what he meant when he said “The strength of a wall depends on the courage of those who defend it”.
Known to the Chinese as the ‘10,000 Li Wall’ (a li or Chinese mile is about 457 metres), it is about 6,435 kilometres long, stretching from Shanhaiguan Pass on the east coast to Jiayuguan Pass in the Gobi Desert. Building started in the seventh century BC, but the majority of the wall was constructed during the Qin Dynasty (221-207BC), when separate walls that had been built to keep out the invading nomads of the north were linked during ten years of intensive labour.
To get a true feeling of the history embroiled in this Great Wall, we were actually able to climb the wall at Badaling (accessible by steps) and literally stand on history. It was a steep and very tiring climb, but for an extra charge, you could have ascended by cable-car. The Wall offers panoramic views of the rugged Chinese landscape, and we could imagine warriors with swords and shields in hands, breaking against the solid, grey stone.

Day 5.
Beijing:
Continuing our exploration of China’s dynastic treasures today on a full-day sightseeing tour of the Summer Palace and Temple of Heaven.
The Summer Palace is set in an immense park just outside Beijing. For a long time it was a royal garden, but it was considerably enlarged by Emperor Qianlong in the 18th century. The palace was used by the emperor as an escape from the oppressive heat in central Beijing, so the emphasis is on cool features.
There are cool marble halls, beautifully-sculptured water gardens and a huge lake. There is a 17-arch bridge that spans over 91 metres to the South Lake island and the Garden of Harmonious Interest.
After lunch we visited the Temple of Heaven, a classic piece of Ming architecture (1368-1644).
This temple was considered to be sacred ground, and it was here that the Emperors came to perform the most important ceremonies of the year. The temple’s design is full of ritual significance, for example, the base is square to represent the earth, and the actual temple is round, in accordance with the Chinese belief that heaven is round. The round altar is made of white marble, and its geometry is based around the Imperial number nine. The ’echo wall’ is like the Whispering Gallery in St Paul’s Cathedral in London, and makes a whisper travel 64 metres.
After dinner this evening we were treated to a performance of Chinese Opera, and were amazed by the sumptuous costumes, colourful face paints, stirring singing and flamboyant acrobatics.

Day 6.
Beijing to Xi'an
This morning it was back to the airport for a flight to Xi’an, in the province of Shaanxi.
We were taken to the Shangri-La Golden Flower Hotel, where we stayed for the next two nights. The hotel has 416 rooms is spacious and equipped with satellite/cable television, telephone, minibar and coffee/tea making facilities. Both international and oriental cuisine was available at the hotel, which also offers a Health Club featuring gym, massage facilities, jacuzzi, sauna/steam room and indoor swimming pool.
Xi’an once vied for the title of ‘Greatest City in the World’, alongside Constantinople and Rome. It served as the capital of the Han Dynasty, from 206BC to AD220, under the name of Chang’an, during the Tang Dynasty, and became the largest city in Asia with a population of over a million people.
When the Tang collapsed, the city fell from prominence and was not revived until the Communists industrialised it after the Second World War. Today it is the capital of the province, and despite modernisation, it can still be considered one of the largest open-air museums in the world.
This afternoon there was an excursion to The Wild Goose Pagoda. Situated on the southern edge of Xi’an, it is an ochre-coloured wood and brick tower, over 20 metres high, built in 652 as a fireproof repository for the sutras brought here by Xuan Zang. He went off to India in AD629, returning 15 years later with 657 volumes which he translated into 1,335 volumes of Chinese.
His achievement is recorded in two stone tablets by the south door. There is also an amusing engraving of him on a trek with an enormous backpack of books. Originally the pagoda was named Jing Ta, ’Pagoda of the Classics’, but no-one seems to know where the name Wild Goose came from. For an extra charge, it was possible to climb the spiral staircase to the top, from where there is a good view of Xi’an and the surrounding area.
We also visited the Great Mosque, located in Huajue Xiang Jie, the heart of the Muslim district. It was founded in AD742, about 100 years after Islam reached China, although the present buildings are probably much more recent.

Day 7.
Today we embarked on a full-day excursion to see the ’Terracotta Warriors’ and the Banpo Neolithic Village Museum.
At the tender age of 13, Ying Zheng ascended the throne of the state of Qin. He assumed the title of ’Shi Huang’, or First Emperor, and set about conquering the four other states which he succeeded in doing by 221 BC. Although Ying Zheng can be thought of as uniting the country, by introducing a standardised script and currency, he is remembered chiefly for his tyranny.
As soon as he ascended to the throne, Ying Zheng began work on his final resting-place. When he succeeded in defeating the other states the work on his tomb expanded to a dramatic scale. The tomb has never been excavated and is currently covered by a huge mound of earth, which is surrounded by fields. Most of what is known about the tomb has been gleaned from the Historical Records of Sima Qian (1st century BC). In Ying Zheng’s book he describes palaces and pavilions, rare gems and statues, and booby traps to stop unwanted visitors.
In 1974, peasants digging a well almost 1,500 yards from the tomb uncovered an astonishing archaeological site - the Terracotta Army.
There are 8,000 life-size terracotta warriors, all with individual facial features and expressions. This army was designed to follow the Emperor into immortality and actually held real weapons of the period, and even after 2,000 years underground many of them were still sharp.
After seeing the Terracotta Army, we visited the Banpo Neolithic Village Museum. Located in the east of Xi’an is the site of a village dating back 6,000 years to the Neolithic era. Discovered in 1953, the site at Banpo covered approximately 50,000 square metres and is considered to be one of the world’s best examples of a Neolithic agricultural community. Banpo Museum contains the remains of houses, stables, cellars, caves and about 250 graves. This ancient village was believed to have been a matriarchal community where the women organised everything from the day to day running of the community to the construction of defensive moats around the village.

Day 8.
Xi'an to Nanjing
This morning we were taken to the airport for the flight to Nanjing.
The next two nights at the Jin Ling Hotel. This hotel, designed by a Japanese architect, is set in the heart of the city and is considered to be one of the finest hotels in China.
Each of the 600 rooms is equipped with individually controlled air-conditioning, satellite television, fridge / minibar, safe, hairdryer and tea making facilities. Chinese, French and Japanese cuisine are available. The hotel’s facilities include a gym, swimming pool, steam bath, massage facilities, sauna, karaoke, bowling, nightclub, simulated golf course, bar, lounge, coffee shop and shopping arcade.
Nanjing, meaning Southern Capital, is situated in one of China’s most beautiful natural areas. The city is located on the south banks of the River Yangtze, amongst lakes, rivers, wooded hills and mountain defences.

Day 9.
Nanjing:
Flanked by the hills and rivers on the mighty Yangtze, the old trading post of Nanjing became a provincial capital of the Republic of China, when Sun Yatsen was president. From 1945 to 1949 it was also the nominal capital of China, as headquarters of the KMT administration. Today Nanjing is one of the most attractive major cities in China, and is famous for its double-deck bridge carrying the Beijing to Shanghai railway line and a main road across the Yangtze. The city has broad tree-lined boulevards and houses with balconies, which gives it something of a French feel.
This morning’s city tour showed us the vast Sun Yatsen Mausoleum, named after the founding father of modern China. Standing at the southern foot of Zhongmao Peak, the mausoleum is reached through a stone gateway of Fujian marble with a roof of blue glazed tiles. We could either climb the 392 steps or view the mausoleum from the base of the steps.
We continued to the beautiful Xuanwu Lake, where we relaxed in the charming natural surroundings amongst wooded inlets, waterlilies and drifting rowing boats.
The final visit is to Chiang Kiashek Hall, the headquarters of the Nationalists during the Chinese Civil War.
There was time this afternoon to explore the city at leisure. We could visit the great Yangtze River Bridge, the 14th-century Drum and Bell Towers and the Ming city wall.

Day 10.
Nanjing to Suzhou:
Before boarding the train for Suzhou, we visited the Confucius Temple. On the subsequent train journey to Suzhou, we were able to glimpse typical scenes of Chinese rural and city life, from white-washed farm buildings and paddy fields to garden cities.
On arrival in Suzhou, there was an orientation walk of the city.
Famed for its beauty as much as its historical and cultural heritage, Suzhou has been described as ‘Capital of Silk’, ‘Land of Abundance’ and ‘World of Gardens’. Founded some 2,500 years ago by King Helu of Wu State, the site and scale of Suzhou has remained unchanged, making it a rare site of historical interest.
The city’s former status of pleasure-ground of the rich is evidenced by the wealth of exquisite gardens set among natural rural landscapes, overlooked by the 1,000 year-old Yunyan Pagoda on Tiger Hill. The pagoda is also known as the Leaning Tower, due to its tilt, which is currently around two metres. Handicrafts are evident everywhere, including Suzhou embroidery, sandalwood fans, theatrical engraving, mahogany furniture and minute carving.
Later, we travelled to the Bamboo Grove for the next two nights. The hotel is located to the south-east of the city centre, close to the Master of the Nets and Surging Waves Gardens. Accommodation is spread over two five-floor wings, interconnected by covered walkways, by a small lake and canal which provide a home to geese and goldfish.

Day 11.
Today, we visited the Garden of the Master of the Nets, which, at 5,400 square metres, is the smallest in the city. It was established during the Song dynasty (960 – 1279) and restored during the 18th century by a retired official who announced that, having had his fill of bureaucracy, he would rather be a fisherman – which gave the garden its name.
The garden is famed for being the most exquisite and well-preserved residential garden in Suzhou and provides a fine example of the combination of living quarters with landscaped gardens.
Each hall of the residence has either a door or walkway leading into the garden, with different areas for various activities, embracing reading, painting, meditating, viewing, resting, sipping tea and writing verse.
The pond, covering an area of about 440 square metres, is adorned by the tiny arched Yinjing Bridge. While the garden is relatively small, it has been created around illusion and thus, appears to be infinite.
We spent some time cruising the Grand Canal, which together with its network of waterways, became one of China’s great industrial transportation complexes. Suzhou itself is graced with a network of canals which date from the eighth century BC and gave rise to the city being compared to Venice. The Grand Canal was once used to carry tributes to Emperors and today is busy with barges carrying commercial goods. As we travelled on this timeless waterway, we found a snapshot of traditional Chinese life as steam-tugs towing native cargo pass by, while on the banks, women bring their laundry to wash.
Suzhou embroidery is one of the four famous embroidery schools in China. We were able to visit the Embroidery factory to admire the intrinsic, painstaking work carried out here. Kittens and goldfish tend to be common motifs.
While Suzhou was always an important port on China’s Grand Canal, it was the heavy concentration of silk manufacture during the 14th century which really put it on the map. Today, we had the opportunity to visit the Silk Factory. Here, we observed the different procedures utilised from silk worm to the final woven cloth – sorting, boiling of cocoons, spinning, rewinding and packing. We also browsed in the Factory Shop.

Day 12.
Suzhou to Shanghai:
Later, we boarded a train to Shanghai, the great port city that has long evoked images of intrigue and mystery. The old town is a maze of cobbled streets, and in the parks where we saw locals performing t’ai chi movements.
Stay at the Jin Jiang Hotel for the next three nights.
This well-known garden hotel has been in operation for 70 years. It is centrally located on the junction of Mao Ming and Huaihai Roads.

Day 13.
Shanghai:
Shanghai is the largest city in China, and early records show that the city was founded in the Song Dynasty (AD960 – 1280) at a time when the invaders from the north were drawing back to their own borders. Compared to other Chinese cities, Shanghai has had a relatively short history. It was originally a small fishing village that did not grow into a town until the 13th century. Walls were built around the city in the Ming era (1368 - 1644) to protect it from Japanese pirates.
Visitors walking through Shanghai soon become aware of its lively, bustling atmosphere. We came across many vendors and an endless variety of shops among streets which have a distinctive smell of seafood, baking cakes and fried food.
On today’s excursion we had the opportunity to view the resplendent Temple of the Jade Buddha, its bright saffron walls concealing a jewel-encrusted Buddha. Still home to a community of monks, we arrived to find the precincts scented by incense and ringing with the sound of clanging gongs.
After lunch, we continued to the tranquil Yuyuan Garden, to relax before driving along the famous Bund. The rich heritage of Shanghai’s most opulent period of history is most prominently displayed along this magnificent waterfront terrace, set on the bank of the Huangpu River.
Originally a muddy coolie-path, the world-famous Bund was christened by the British in May 1886, its name taken from the Hindi word meaning ‘an artificial embankment, dam, dyke or causeway’. Today, the sumptuous architecture, so reminiscent of Old Shanghai makes this part of the city a major attraction.
After dinner, we had the opportunity to participate in an optional night cruise on the Huangpu River.

Day 14.
Shanghai: at leisure

Day 15.
Shanghai to the UK
Today travel to the airport and fly back to the UK, arriving in the evening.