Tour Information
Tour Schedule in Beijing
Travel Agency: Guokang Travel Agency Date: Oct. 16
To reserve the Tours, please stop by Travel Agency desk, which will be set up near registration desk during the conference.
Tour #1 Great Wall Tour: The Great Wall & The Ming Tomb
Price: 300RMB/Person (including tour guild, bus, lunch, ticket)
Tour Routing:
Hotel Lobby pick-up -> The Jade Factory -> The Great Wall à Lunch -> The Ming Tomb -> The silk Factory, The Tea House or Chinese Herbs Center -> Hotel drop-off
Detailed instruction:
The Great Wall
The Great Wall, like the Pyramids of Egypt, the Taj Mahal in India and the Hanging Garden of Babylon, is one of the great wonders of the world. Starting out in the east on the banks of the Yalu River in Liaoning Province, the Wall stretches westwards for 12,700 kilometers to Jiayuguan in the Gobi desert, thus known as the Ten Thousand Li Wall in China. The Wall climbs up and down, twists and turns along the ridges of the Yanshan and Yinshan Mountain Chains through five provinces--Liaoning, Hebei, Shanxi, Shaanxi, and Gansu--and two autonomous regions--Ningxia and Inner Mongolia, binding the northern China together.
Historical records trace the construction of the origin of the Wall to defensive fortification back to the year 656 B.C. during the reign of King Cheng of the States of Chu. Its construction continued throughout the Warring States period in the fifth Century B.C. when ducal states Yan, Zhao, Wei, and Qin were frequently plundered by the nomadic peoples living north of the Yinshan and Yanshan mountain ranges. Walls, then, were built separately by these ducal states to ward off such harassments. Later in 221 B.C., when Qin conquered the other states and unified China, Emperor Qinshihuang ordered the connection of these individual walls and further extensions to form the basis of the present great wall. As a matter of fact, a separate outer wall was constructed north of the Yinshan range in the Han Dynasty(206 BC--1644 BC.), which went to ruin through years of neglect. In the many intervening centuries, succeeding dynasties rebuilt parts of the Wall. The most extensive reinforcements and renovations were carried out in the Ming Dynasty (1368--1644) when altogether 18 lengthy stretches were reinforced with bricks and rocks. It is mostly the Ming Dynasty Wall that visitors see today.
Historical records trace the construction of the origin of the Wall to defensive fortification back to the year 656 B.C. during the reign of King Cheng of the States of Chu. Its construction continued throughout the Warring States period in the fifth Century B.C. when ducal states Yan, Zhao, Wei, and Qin were frequently plundered by the nomadic peoples living north of the Yinshan and Yanshan mountain ranges. Walls, then, were built separately by these ducal states to ward off such harassments. Later in 221 B.C., when Qin conquered the other states and unified China, Emperor Qinshihuang ordered the connection of these individual walls and further extensions to form the basis of the present great wall. As a matter of fact, a separate outer wall was constructed north of the Yinshan range in the Han Dynasty(206 BC--1644 BC.), which went to ruin through years of neglect. In the many intervening centuries, succeeding dynasties rebuilt parts of the Wall. The most extensive reinforcements and renovations were carried out in the Ming Dynasty (1368--1644) when altogether 18 lengthy stretches were reinforced with bricks and rocks. It is mostly the Ming Dynasty Wall that visitors see today.
The Ming Tomb
Standing in the Spirit Way at the Ming Tombs looking back towards the entry gate.The Ming Dynasty Tombs (Chinese: 明朝十三陵; pinyin: Míng cháo shí sān líng; lit. Thirteen Tombs of the Ming Dynasty) are located some 50 kilometers due North of Beijing at an especially selected site. The site was chosen by the third Ming Dynasty emperor Yongle (1402 - 1424), who moved the Capital City of China from Nanjing to the present location of Beijing. He is credited with envisioning the layout of the ancient city of Beijing as well as a number of landmarks and monuments located therein. After the construction of the Imperial Palace (the Forbidden City) in 1420, the Yongle Emperor selected his burial site and creating his own mausoleum.
From the Yongle Emperor onwards, 13 Ming Dynasty Emperors were buried in this area. The tombs of the first two Ming Emperors are located near Nanjing (the capital city during their reigns). Emperor Jingtai was also not buried here as the Emperor Tianshun had denied Jingtai an imperial burial but was instead buried west of Beijing. The last Emperor Chongzhen who hung himself in April, 1644 was the last to be buried here, named Si Ling by the Qing emperor but on a much smaller scale than his predecessors.
During the Ming dynasty, the tombs were off limits to commoners but in 1644 Li Zicheng's army ransacked and set many of the tombs on fire before advancing and capturing Beijing in April of that year.
During the Ming dynasty, the tombs were off limits to commoners but in 1644 Li Zicheng's army ransacked and set many of the tombs on fire before advancing and capturing Beijing in April of that year.
Tour #2 Classic Beijing: The Forbidden City & The Temple of Heaven & The Summer Palace
Price: 300RMB/Person (including tour guild, bus, lunch, ticket)
Tour Routing:
Hotel Lobby pick-up -> The Forbidden City -> The Temple of Heaven -> Lunch -> Pearl Market -> The Summer Palace -> The Silk Factory -> Hotel drop-off
Forbidden City (Gu Gong)
Home to two dynasties, the Ming and the Qing, the Forbidden City is the grandaddy of preserved ancient buildings in China. It was built during the Ming Dynasty, under the reign of Yong Le, and required the effort of a million laborers. Most of the buildings have been rebuilt or restored as the originals were destroyed during the tumultuous events of recent Chinese history.
The palace is massive with a lot of ground to cover. It is probably best to go with a tour group so that you do not miss anything, but an audiotape tour is also available. You will see various grand temples and halls but the main highlights are the Three Great Halls, and the Hall of Supreme Harmony. The latter hall was traditionally the most important structure used for imperial ceremonies such as the Emperor's birthday. Purchase maps at the front gate with admission.
The Temple of Heaven
About 2km southeast of the Forbidden City towers Tian Tan, or the Temple of Heaven, where dynastic rulers in China used to worship the heaven. The temple plus subsidiary buildings and a surrounding garden covers an area five times the size of the Forbidden City. As Chinese emperors called themselves Tianzi, or the son of heaven, they had to cede supremacy to the heaven in terms of abiding.
Chinese emperors had many other gods to worship apart from the god of heaven, including the gods of earth, water and war. They also worshipped their ancestors. As a result, religious activities were an important part of their busy work schedule. Temples of various kinds are scattered in Beijing. The best-known are the Temple of Heaven in the south, the Temple of Earth in the north, the Temple of Sun in the east, and the Temple of the Moon in the west. The Temple of Heaven is the grandest of them all.
Chinese emperors had many other gods to worship apart from the god of heaven, including the gods of earth, water and war. They also worshipped their ancestors. As a result, religious activities were an important part of their busy work schedule. Temples of various kinds are scattered in Beijing. The best-known are the Temple of Heaven in the south, the Temple of Earth in the north, the Temple of Sun in the east, and the Temple of the Moon in the west. The Temple of Heaven is the grandest of them all.
Summer Palace (Yi He Yuan)
Built during the Qing Dynasty, the Summer Palace comprises a large park with beautiful imperial architecture. Used as a summer residence by the imperial family, the estate boasts rolling hills, a lake (Kun Ming Lake) and gardens. Like the Forbidden City, there is much to see at the Summer Palace, and you can easily wile away an entire day exploring the grounds. Major sites to visit include the Precious Clouds Pavilion and the Buddhist Temple of the Sea of Wisdom. Do not miss the 17-arch bridge and the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity. Purchase maps at the front gate with admission.
loading...