13 Days The Back Roads-Hong Kong To Beijing

Man Mo Temple

After breakfast see the highlights of Hong Kong Island,your experiences starts with a visit to the Man Mo Temple,which is notable for its many fine ,well-polished brass,take historical railway up the Peak to enjoy breathtaking views of the harbour and the Kowloon Peninsula,wander around at Aberdeen fishing village,drive through one of Hong Kong's well-known beaches-Repulse Bay,finishes Shopper's Paradise -Stanley Market.
Man Mo Temple:It is the oldest temple in Hong Kong in the Mid-levels area of Hong Kong Island. It is half the way up Victoria Peak. In the temple, two idols are worshiped, the God of Literature and the God of War. It was built in 1847. People go to the Man Mo temples in China to pray for success in examinations or in their academic or literary endeavors. They also go to Man Mo temples to settle disputes. A bronze bell there was also made in 1847. Though it has been often renovated, the original appearance is preserved, and it is visited by lots of people.It is said that the ceremony for settling disputes between people of cutting off a chicken's head and burning yellow paper originated during the Qing dynasty. In this ceremony, in order to avoid going to court, people invoke the gods to punish people who don't perform the vows that they publicly make in the ceremony.
Stanley Market:A popular market town on the sunny south side of Hong Kong Island, Stanley's relaxed ambiance, crisp sea environs and bargain buys have made it world famous.Seven days a week the open market around Stanley New Street and Stanley Market Road throbs with the passing parade of life as bargain-hunters from all over the world join in the fun of haggling with shopkeepers and stallholders. Choose from brand-name clothing and accessories, or simply irresistible souvenirs, ornaments and other Oriental knick-knacks.

Day 3

Hong Kong  Guangzhou  Chongqing

Ancestral Temple

After breakfast a short morning train to Guangzhou,marvel the exquisite Chinese house decor and carving workmanship at the Ancestral Temple of the Chen Family before flying to the mountain city of Chongqing.
Ancestral Temple : is also called Chen Clan Academy or Chen's Lineage Hall which was a place both for offering up sacrifices to ancestors and for study. Now it serves as Guangdong Museum of Folk Arts and Crafts to show the most characteristic Guangdong architecture. The Chen Clan Ancestral Temple in Guangzhou City, the Ancestors' Temple in Foshan City, the former Residence of Sun Yat-sen in Zhongshan City and the Opium War Memorial Hall in Dongguan City are regarded as the four major cultural tourist sites in Guangdong Province .In the late of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), a man named Chen got the third place in the highest imperial examination and had conferred upon him a distinguished office title which made the Family Chen well-known. Later someone suggested that all the Chen's families raise money to build a temple to sacrifice to the ancestors and encourage their offspring likewise to study hard. Therefore, the temple was finished in 1894 with the money donated by Chen's families in 72 counties of Guangdong Province as well as some overseas members of Family Chen

Dazu Rock Carvings

Excursion to World Heritage Site-Dazu Rock Carvings,which are considered to be the best representatives of rock art in China with more than 50000 stone carvings dating from the 13th -19th century AD.It shows the coming together of the Buddhism,Taoism,and Confucianism.They clearly demonstrate the ingenuity and craftsmanship of their artists with respect to carving techniques and subject matter.After sample a local dinner,board on your cruise trip.
Dazu Rock Carvings:The Dazu Rock Carving is located in the southeast of the Sichuan Basin, 271 kilometers away from the west of Chengdu, 167 kilometers away from the east of Chongqing. The Dazu Rock Carving lies in Dazu County, which is 167 kilometers away from the urban area of Chongqing city. It's a general designation of the stone statues distributed in 76 places in the whole Dazu County. The number of the stone statues amounts to 60,000.The Dazu Rock Carving is a piece of great work of China's grotto art.  It's not only rich in content but also carved with marvelous technique. It skillfully combines the scientific principles of mechanics, optics, and clairvoyance with statues themselves and landform. The Dazu Rock Carving is reputed as "Artistic Palace of the Tang and Song Dynasties".The Dazu Rock Carving was firstly excavated at the beginning of the Yonghui time of the Tang Dynasty. Experiencing the late Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties, it was very popular in the Southern Song and Northern Song Dynasties (A.D.960-1278).

Xiling Gorge

Sail through Xiling Gorge,Wu Gorge and Qutang Gorge and enjoy the magnificent views of various shapes of peaks,rolling rills and small towns along the river.Also you shall undertake on-shore excursions to the Ghost City of Fengdu,take a Sampan（wooden boat）tour to one of the Yangtze's tributaries,pass through the world's biggest five level ship lock.
Xiling Gorge:Xiling Gorge is mainly composed of smaller gorges and dangerous shoals. From west to east, there are four gorges - The Military Books and Precious Sword Gorge (Bingshu Baojian Xia), The Ox and Horse Lungs Gorge (Niugan Mafei Xia), Kongling Gorge, and Lantern Shadow Gorge (Dengying Xia) - and some dangerous shoals such as Qingtan, Xietan, Xintan and Konglingtan .
Wu Gorge:The Wu Gorge is the second gorge of the Three Gorges of Yangtze River and is famous for its elegance. Winding over 25 miles, it starts from the estuary of Daning River (east of Wushan) in the west and ends at Guandukou in Badong, Hubei Province .
Qutang Gorge :Qutang Gorge, the shortest and most majestic of the Three Gorges, winds five miles from Baidi City in Fengjie County to Daxi Town in Wushan County. The two banks of the Qutang Gorge contain numerous scenic spots.
Ghost City of Fengdu:Located on the Ming Mountain on the northern bank of the Yangtze River, Fengdu County is known to most Chinese as the 'Ghost City'. Having nearly two thousand years' history, the Ghost City combines the cultures of Confucianism,Taoism and Buddhism with the mystique of ghosts. Many famous literary works like Journey to the West, Apotheosis of Heroes and Strange Tales of a Lonely Studio contain vivid references to Fengdu.

Tai Chi

Today experience the Tai Chi morning exercises ,visit the Three Gorges Dam Project,enjoy a variety of Chinese cultural activities on board,such as Chinese brush painting shows,Chinese silk embroidery lessons.
Three Gorges Dam Project:"Three Gorges Dam Project" is the short term for the water control project at the three gorges on Yangtze River. It is located in the middle section of Xiling Gorge (one of the three gorges on Yangtze River) near Sandouping Town inYichang City, Hubei Province. Being the world's largest hydropower project, Three Gorges Dam Project has created many "Firsts" such as the most efficient dam in flood control, the most difficult construction work and the largest migration project in the world.
Tai Chi :is a centuries-old Chinese martial art that descends from qigong, an ancient Chinese discipline that has its roots in traditional Chinese medicine. (The people that you see moving gracefully in parks in China are practicing tai chi.) According to some records, tai chi dates back as far as 2,500 years! It involves a series of slow, meditative body movements that were originally designed for self-defense and to promote inner peace and calm.

Day 7

Yichang  Xian

Disembark at Yichang ,transfer to the airport and take the flight to Xian.Check in hotel upon arrival.

The Ancient City Wall

Morning arrive Xi'an,you will be met and transferred to your hotel.This afternoon stroll on the original City Wall,Which you have opportunity to cycle on this ancient wall,and then explore the Old Muslim Quarter and Old Mosque.Tonight enjoy a local specialty-dumpling dinner before the famous Tang Dynasty culture show.
The Ancient City Wall : An extension of the old Tang Dynasty structure boasting the most complete city wall that survives through Chinese long history.The City Wall has corner towers, ramparts, sentry towers, gate towers, battlements and a a number of city defensive fortifications with very strong defense capability.
Old Muslim Quarter and Old Mosque:The Great Mosque is a Chinese traditional Alhambresque architecture with a long history and grant scale, which is the great combination of Islamic and Chinese culture. It was recorded that it was established in the first year of the Tian Bao reign by Li Lung Ji, after renovations and expansions on several occasions in the Song, Yuan and especially the Ming and Qing Dynasties, it gradually takes on the current performance. The Great Mosque and the Muslim Quarter now is the important relic preservation of Shanxi Province and the national important relic preservation of third period.
Tang Dynasty culture show:If you prefer a night performance to kill your night time, Tang Dynasty Show is your best choice, which is on the most Xian visitors' top 10 attractions list. The Tang Dynasty Show showcases the costumes, music, and dancing of China's golden age: the Tang dynasty (618 - 907). The show begins with an ancient Chinese musical instrument ensemble while you dine and then later the cultural dance segment begins. The costumes are splendid and you can get some really nice photos if you sit near the stage.

Day 9

Xi'an  Beijing

The Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses

After breakfast visit the historical significance os amazing The Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses -where7000 individually crafted clay soldiers stand on guard.Then continue to the Bid Wild Goose Pagoda built to house Buddhist scriptures collected by a Chinese Monk,where you can see variety of buddha statues before an overnight train to Beijing.
The Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses : The greatest archaeological findings of the century: the army of terra-cotta warriors and the bronze chariots entombed in vast underground vaults at emperor Qin's tomb.
The Wild Goose Pagoda: The pagoda where widely renowned Master Xuanzang (Monk Tripitaka) stored his classics brought from India. Big Goose Pagoda is one of the oldest structures in China. Originally Big Goose Pagoda consisted of a brick structure of five storeys and was about 60 meters high. First built in 589A.D.in the Sui Dynasty. Between AD 701 and AD 704 during the reign of the Empress Wu Zetian five more storeys were added to the pagoda making ten in all.

Once arrive in Beijing,be met and transferred to your hotel. Feel free at leisure for the rest of the day

Temple of Heaven

After breakfast starts with a visit to the Temple of Heaven .You will see local people practicing Tai Chi,as well as singing and calligraphy in the neighboring park,and take a leisurely walk through Tiananmen Square to the Forbidden City, enjoy the panoramic view of Forbidden City form Jing-shan Hill .Sample Peking Duck Dinner before a fantastic Kongfu Show .
The Tian'anmen Square : The largest city square in the world.
The Forbidden City : The largest imperial palace in China during the Ming and Qing dynasties with a history of around 600 years.Located in the middle of Beijing, Forbidden City was the Chinese royal palace from the Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty. Also called Palace Museum, the Forbidden City is recognized as the most magnificent and splendid palace complex in China and one of the five world-famous palaces with the Palace of Versailles in France, Buckingham Palace in England, the White House in United States and the Kremlin in Russia.
The Temple of Heaven : Temple of Heaven ( Tiantan ) is located in the southern part of Beijing, and has been one of the most holy places for the whole country for more than five centuries. It used as a complex of sacrificial buildings for the Ming and Qing emperors, and is the largest one in Beijing among several royal altars to Heaven, Earth, the Sun, the Moon and other deities or symbolic forces of Nature.
 

the Great Wall

Morning head to visit the Great Wall, Ming Tomb .Then explore the alleyway -"Hutong" by riding on a traditional rickshaw to catch close-up glimpses of local life.
The Great Wall : One of the seven wonders in the world and the symbol of China.Badaling Great Wall is the most impressive and the most visited section of the Great Wall of China. Constructed in 1502 during the Ming Dynasty, the Badaling Great Wall once served as an important military fortification. Many leaders from China and around the world, like Richard Nixon, Margaret Thatcher…all visited this section of the wall.
The Ming Tomb : The only underground tomb of the thirteen tombs of the emperors in the Ming Dynasty.Some 50 kilometers northwest of the downtown Beijing, the Ming Tombs are generally combined with a visit to the Great Wall. Otherwise known as the “13 Tombs”, this is the burial site of 13 out of 17 emperors of the Ming Dynasty. However, the only one you can get a good look at is the tomb of Emperor Wanli, who reigned from 1537 to 1620. This tomb was unearthed in 1956. There are two others that have been uncovered, but the rest remain illusive

In the morning you will be transferred to the airport and take the flight back to your hometown.