CHINA

June 1

Flight from the U.S. to Shanghai

When we fly from the U.S. to China
we will cross the International Dateline
and lose a day, and it suddenly becomes June 2.

SHANGHAI
June 2 - 6

From the Opium Wars of the 1840's to the 1930's, SHANGHAI went from a provincial fishing and weaving community of 50,000 people to a western metropolis of over a million people with skyscrapers owned by western bank and trading houses, western cinemas, and more cars than any other city in Asia. It became the largest manufacturing city in Asia based on the slave labor of Chinese boys and girls. Foreign business interests dominated the city and were guarded by the armies of their home countries. Along with the colonialists came gambling and dance halls, opium dens, and brothels.

When the communists took over in 1949 they got rid of the slums, child labor, and opium dens, but the economy also declined. Then with the economic reforms of Deng Xiaoping, SHANGHAI has had a resurgence. In fact, two of the most important leaders of China, Jiang Zemin and Zhu Rongji, rose to prominence as leaders of Shanghai.

We will tour the remnants of the International Settlement including the British, French, American, and Japanese concessions and the Huangpu River embankment, called the "Bund." The Bund is lined with the western buildings constructed in the1930's in a mixture of colonial, neo-classical, and even Egyptian architectural styles. Here we will see where the foreigners and Chinese met and still congregate to talk and see street performers and hawkers.

Of course, we will also visit the SHANGHAI Museum with its collection of bronzes, ceramics, and paintings; the site of the 1st National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party attended by Mao Zedong; Sun Yatsen's residence; and the wonderful Jade Buddha Temple with two Buddhas from Burma.

We will cap off one day with an evening performance of the famous Chinese acrobats.

EXCURSION TO HANGZHOU

We also plan to make a day long excursion to Hangzhou, considered by the Chinese to be one of their most beautiful cities..

At the end of our visit to Shanghai we will travel to Nanjing by train.

SHAOLIN MONASTERY
June 10

The SHAOLIN MONASTERY is probably the best know Buddhist monastery in the West. It is famous for its long association with Kung Fu or martial arts. Martial arts groups from all over the world have made donations for the upkeep of the monastery. Today, many private schools teach the fundamentals of kung fu within sight of the monastery. We will see a performance of a martial arts group.

BEIJING
June 11 -15

Although Beijing was not a major player in early Chinese history, from the 13th century to the present it has been the capital under the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties as well as the Communist regime.

It was the Mongols who first made it their capital when they conquered China in the 13th century and established the Yuan Dynasty. When the Ming Dynasty took power in the 1300's its first capital was Nanjing, but the Emperor Yong Le moved the capital to Beijing in the early 1400's and started the construction of the Forbidden City. Later when the Manchus conquered China, they kept Beijing as capital and enlarged the Forbidden City. In 1949 the Communists chose Beijing as their capital and set up headquarters right next to the Forbidden City.

Tiananmen Square

One of our first stops in BEIJING will be Tiananmen Square, site of the 1989 student demonstrations and subsequent bloodbath. Around the square we will visit the Museum of the Chinese Revolution, the Museum of Chinese History, and Chairman Mao Zedong Memorial Hall containing the preserved body of Chairman Mao, the first leader of Communist China.

Then we will pass through the Tiananmen (Gate of Heavenly Peace) into the Forbidden City, where twenty four emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties ruled from their palaces for hundreds of years. Here there are six major palaces including the Palace of Ci Xi, the last Empress Dowager who dominated China in the early 20th century.

In BEIJING we will also see the beautiful Temple of Heaven and the Summer Palace of the Emperors with the famous marble boat built by Ci Xi with funds to build a navy. In the evenings we will attend a performance of selections from the Beijing Opera and other cultural events.

EXCURSION TO THE GREAT WALL,

MING TOMBS AND

EASTERN QING TOMBS.

The Great Wall was begun in the 5th century BCE and completed by Qin Shi Huang, founder of the Qin dynasty in 221 BCE. Being approximately 3750 miles long, it is surely one of the wonders of world.

The Tombs of the Ming Dynasty Emperors date back to the 15th and 16th centuries.

XIAN
June 16 - 20

Known as Chang An in earlier times, XIAN has been inhabited since neolithic times and was one of the early capitals of China. Here we will visit the Ban Po Neolithic Museum, which is built on the site of a village from the period 6080-5600 BCE. The Museum contains interesting implements, weapons, and models of the village. In the city of XIAN we will also visit the archaeological exhibit at the Xian Province Museum, the Great Mosque of Xian, and a number of sites from the Tang and Ming Dynasties such as the Drum and Bell Towers, the City Walls, and the Big Goose Pagoda.

The Great Mosque of Xian

XIAN was particularly important during the Qin Dynasty. We will take a bus tour to the Tomb of Qin Shi Huang, the first Qin Emperor, and his amazing burial vault with its 7,000 life-size terra-cotta warriors, armed and in battle order. Nearby we will see the Huaqing Hot Springs, a favorite spot of the emperors and site of the "Xian Incident" where Chiang Kaishek was kidnapped by one of his own generals in the struggle with the Communists in 1936.

We will also take a tour of the Western Tombs in the countryside. Our evenings will include a Chinese traditional dance program and free time to socialize with Chinese students.

Xian Dance and Musical Performance

June 20

End of the China Tour

For those students not taking the Tibet option, we will, of course, leave time for to do last minute course work and preparations for the return home.

OR

On to Tibet June 21

TIBET OPTION

TRAIN TO LHASA, TIBET
June 21

Barkhor Square