Tai Chi - Learning Tour - 11days / 10 nights

Highlights
The Simatai Great Wall (Beijing)
Yellow River (Zhengzhou)
Shaolin Monastery & Kung-fu Performance (Shaolin)
Tai Chi (Chengjiagou Village)
Terra-cotta Army (Xi’an)

Day 01: Beijing
Arrive in capital city Beijing, the political and cultural center of China, a city of relatively clean and orderly design. You're met and transferred to your hotel, and a welcome dinner
Note: It's about 50 minutes' driving from Beijing International Airport to hotel

Day 02: Beijing
Full day excursion to the Simatai section of the Great Wall (World Cultural Heritage), 120 km from Beijing center, is built in the early Hongwu years (1368 – 1398) of the Ming Dynasty. 5.4 km long with all together 35 watchtowers, the Wall still retains all its original appearance and it’s often described with the following five words: perilous, dense, diverse, ingenuous and peculiar. The Simatai Wall is a remarkable place for sightseeing, hiking and exploration.

Day 03: Beijing/Zhengzhou
Morning sightseeing to Tian’anmen Square, the world’s largest plaza, line with monumental public buildings, and The Temple of Heaven, a group of 15th century ceremonial buildings, which is the consummate expression of the philosophy that architecture is “music in space”. At noon fly to Zhengzhou, middle of the whole China. Afternoon visit the Yellow River Scenery area to approach our Mother River, the muddiest river in the world, 5464 km long

Day 04: Zhengzhou/Shaolin
Private car to Dengfeng township (approximately one hour’s driving) for Shaolin Monastery, the birthplace of real Chinese Kung-fu and breath-taking Shaolin Kung-fu performance, more visit to the Pagoda Forest, the largest one of its kind in China, totally over 400 pagodas

Day 05: Shaolin/Chenjiagou Village
Private coach to Chenjiagou Village (approximately 1.5 hours’ driving), the birthplace of Chen-style Tai Chi. Exchange with Tai Chi masters

Note: Tai Chi (or Shadow Boxing) is a shortened way of saying Taijiquan, which means supremacy, absoluteness, extremity and uniqueness. Taijiquan got its name when Shanxi secular wushu master Wang Zongyue used the philosophy of the positive and negative from the Book of Change to explain the principles of the boxing. Taijiquan was first exercised and practiced among the Chen family members at the Chenjiagou Village. The earliest founder of the Taiji boxing was Chen Wangting who was not only a scholar but a martial artist. Chen combined his knowledge of ancient psychological exercises; the positive and the negative philosophy described in the Book of Change and Chinese medical theory of passages and channels of blood, air flow and energy inside the human body with the exercises and practice of Wushu. He absorbed those strong points from various schools and styles of martial arts of the Ming Dynasty, especially the 32-moves Qi Jiguang style boxing (long style boxing) to form the school of Taijiquan.

Day 06: Chenjiagou
Tai Chi training from 09:00 – 11:00 am, 15:00 – 17:00 pm

Day 07: Chenjiagou
Tai Chi training from 09:00 – 11:00 am, 15:00 – 17:00 pm

Day 08: Chenjiagou/Luoyang
Tai Chi training from 09:00 – 11:00am, afternoon coach to Luoyang (approximately 1.5 hours’ driving), the ancient capital for 9 dynasties

Day 09: Luoyang/Xi'an
Excursion to the world cultural heritage – Longmen Grottoes, containing over 10,000 stone figures and the biggest one is 17.14 meters high while the smallest one is only 2 centimeters. Take soft seat train to Xi'an, cradle of Chinese civilization and capital of 11 imperial dynasties.

Day 10: Xi'an/Beijing
Pay a visit to the Terra-cotta Army, three vaults containing eight thousand terra-cotta figures and hundreds of chariots and lots of real weapons were found in 1974, praised as "Eighth Wonder in the world"; en route to see Huaqing Hot Spring Pool, a magnificent summer residence for Tang emperors. Early evening fly back to Beijing.

Day 11: Beijing departure
Transfer to airport to connect your departure international flight