Skip to main content

Beijing Attractions

Tiananmen Square

Forming the exact heart and center of the city, Tiananmen Square (天安门广场) is usually a first port of call on any Beijing tourist’s itinerary.  Like the Forbidden City (紫禁城), the words Tiananmen Square are almost synonymous with Beijing.  It is worth a visit not just for its historical significance, but also for the sheer prominence of its size.  Said to be the largest public square in the world, this spotlessly clean, massive area of paved concrete can accommodate up to a million people.  It was here that Chairman Mao (毛主席) proclaimed the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949.   
 
 
 
You’ll probably find yourself visiting, or at least passing by, Tiananmen more than once due to its central location and close proximity to other tourist stops, namely the Great Hall of the People, the Museum of History and Revolution, the Mao Zedong Memorial Hall (毛泽东纪念堂), and Tiananmen Gate(天安门), the main entrance to the Forbidden City.  Above Tiananmen Gate hangs a huge portrait of Chairman Mao, supposedly the only public place in which Mao’s portrait is still displayed.  
 
Bar the incessant hawkers, Tiananmen Square is the perfect spot to people watch and soak up the Beijing atmosphere; it is also great if you’re a keen kite watcher.  Try and catch a glimpse of Tiananmen in the evening as it is beautifully lit at night.  

 
 
 

The Summer Palace

The Summer Palace is located on the northwest outskirts of Beijing, about 20 kilometers away from the center of the city. It is formed mainly of Longevity Hill and Kunming Lake ,covering a total area of over 290 hectares while Kunming Lake occupies three quarters of the whole area. As the best pr...

The Summer Palace is located on the northwest outskirts of Beijing, about 20 kilometers away from the center of the city. It is formed mainly of Longevity Hill and Kunming Lake ,covering a total area of over 290 hectares while Kunming Lake occupies three quarters of the whole area. As the best preserved imperial garden in the world and one of the largest of its kind still existing in China today, it was placed on the List of World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO in 1998.

According to the legend ,there were supposed to be 3 islands called Penglai, Yingzhou and Fangzhang to the east of Bohai Bay, where people believed that the Gods lived. One of the island-Penglai Island was where a kind of Chinese herbal medicine grew which was supposed to prolong people’s lives. Emperor Qin Shihuang ,the first emperor of the Qin Dynasty and Emperor Wu Di in the Han Dynasty both sent lots of people to look for the herbal longevity medicine in Penglai Island but both of them failed . After the failure, Emperor Wu Di ordered people to dig a big pool at the back of his palace with 3 artificial hills representing the 3 Fairland Mountains of Penglai, Yingzhou and Fangzhang. Since Han Wu Di built a big pool with 3 artificial hills in his garden, this layout became a traditional legendary style of gardening followed by one dynasty after another. The Summer Palace was also built in this traditional style.

“Although it is artificial, it looks like the masterpiece from the hands of God.” This is a basic construction theory in our ancient Chinese Architecture . And the Summer Palace has been the most beautiful illustration of it.

East Gate of the Summer Palace (Dong-gong-men Stop):
Bus 330、331、332、346、394、712、718、726、732、737、801、808、817、826

North Gate of the Summer Palace (Bei-gong-men Stop):
Bus 303、330、331、346、375、384、393、634、716、718、737、801、808、817、834、Express 5

South Gate of the Summer Palace ( Xin-jian-gong-men Stop):
Bus 374、437、481、952、704、992

West Gate of the Summer Palace ( Xin-jian-gong-men Stop):
Bus 469

The Temple of Heaven (Tiantan)

The Temple of Heaven (Tiantan) is one of Beijing’s most distinctive landmarks and often appears on the cover of city and tourist guides.  The most impressive building in the park is the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. The structure’s three-tiered roof and golden dome are...
The Temple of Heaven (Tiantan) is one of Beijing’s most distinctive landmarks and often appears on the cover of city and tourist guides.  The most impressive building in the park is the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. The structure’s three-tiered roof and golden dome are certainly among Beijing’s most recognizable symbols.        
 
This beautiful temple is situated in the middle of one of Beijing’s biggest and most-beloved parks. The park can be entered through a number of gates, but most visitors enter through the East Gate.  The park is very tranquil and is an ideal place to stroll and escape the bustle of the city just outside the temple walls.  If you are lucky you may get to hear some impromptu traditional Chinese music as many locals often gather to play traditional musical instruments and sing. Others come to the park to engage in other activities such as dancing, flying kites, practicing tai chi or playing cards and board games. 
 
The temple was built in 1420 during the Ming Dynasty. It is said that on the day of the winter solstice the Emperors from the Ming and Qing dynasties would go from the Forbidden City to the Temple of Heaven to offer sacrifices such as jade, silk, porcelain and animals to the heavens as well as to pray for good harvests.  However, this system of sacrificial worship was abolished in 1912.  The northern part of the park is semi-circular and is said to represent the heavens. Conversely, the south part of the park is square and is said to represent the earth.
 
The Echo Wall and the Three Echo stones are known for their impressive acoustics. However, as hearing the echos requires silence, it is unlikely that you will actually hear your own echo as there are bound to be other visitors milling about at the same time as you.  The Echo Wall is under repair until November 30th, 2006.
 

Juyongguan Section of the Great Wall

 
Due to its position as a link to Beijing, Juyongguan Pass was one of the most strategically important parts of the Great Wall of China.  Originally constructed during the fifth century, it was later rebuilt during the Ming dynasty.  Juyongguan was neglected durin...
 
Due to its position as a link to Beijing, Juyongguan Pass was one of the most strategically important parts of the Great Wall of China.  Originally constructed during the fifth century, it was later rebuilt during the Ming dynasty.  Juyongguan was neglected during the Qing Dynasty, but has since been renovated and opened to the public.
 
The renovated section forms a circle with the central entrance to the pass at the bottom of the valley.  Most visitors only walk up and down one half of the circle.  It is very steep at some points, but a half-circuit can still be done in 2 hours.  Guard towers are located on the mountains and Ming dynasty style iron cannons sit by the entrance to the pass.
 
 
How to Get There
 
Tourist Bus (recommended when available) - A simple and cheap option is to take a Beijing tourist bus.  They provide one route that visits Juyongguan and Dingling (定陵) which is one of the Ming Tombs.
 
Public Bus - Bus 919 快车 (kuai che) stops at Juyongguan.  It is just a short walk up the hill from the bus station.  Alternatively, you can take bus 919 支线 (zhi xian) to Nankou (南口), and then take a cab to Juyongguan for about 20 yuan.  Buses numbered 919 leave from the messy Deshengmen (德胜门) bus station which is about 500 meters east of the Jishuitan (积水潭) subway station (subway line 2).
 
It is not possible to walk from the Juyongguan section to the Badaling (八达岭) section of the wall.

Organized Tour - If you go with a tour group, try to pick one that not only gets you where you want to go, but also doesn't take you where you don't want to go.  Tourists are sometimes not allowed to leave "factories" or "galleries" until they buy something which is, of course, overpriced.
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

Beijing National Stadium

The Beijing National Stadium, also known as the bird's nest will be the main track and field stadium for the 2008 Summer Olympics and will be host to the Opening and Closing ceremonies. In 2002 Government officials engaged architects worldwide in a design competition. Pritzker Prize-winning archi...

The Beijing National Stadium, also known as the bird's nest will be the main track and field stadium for the 2008 Summer Olympics and will be host to the Opening and Closing ceremonies. In 2002 Government officials engaged architects worldwide in a design competition. Pritzker Prize-winning architects Herzog & de Meuron collaborated with ArupSport and China Architecture Design & Research Group to win the competition. The stadium will seat as many as 100,000 spectators during the Olympics, but this will be reduced to 80,000 after the games. It has replaced the original intended venue of the Guangdong Olympic Stadium. The stadium is 330 metres long by 220 metres wide, and is 69.2 metres tall. The 250,000 square metre (gross floor area) stadium is to be built with 36 km of unwrapped steel, with a combined weight of 45,000 tonnes. The stadium will cost up to 3.5 billion yuan (422,873,850 USD/ 325,395,593 EUR). The ground was broken in December 2003, and construction started in March 2004, but was halted by the high construction cost in August 2004.

In the new design, the roof of the stadium had been omitted from the design. Experts say that this will make the stadium safer, whilst reducing construction costs. The construction of the Olympic buildings will continue once again in the beginning of 2005.


In depth
The stadium's appearance is one of synergy, with no distinction made between the facade and the superstructure. The structural elements mutually support each other and converge into a grid-like formation - almost like a bird's nest with its interwoven twigs. The spatial effect of the stadium is novel and radical, yet simple and of an almost archaic immediacy, thus creating a unique historical landmark for the Olympics of 2008.

The stadium was conceived as a large collective vessel, which makes a distinctive and unmistakable impression both from a distance and when seen from up close. It meets all the functional and technical requirements of an Olympic National Stadium, but without communicating the insistent sameness of technocratic architecture dominated by large spans and digital screens.

Visitors walk through this formation and enter the spacious ambulatory that runs full circle around the stands. From there, one can survey the circulation of the entire area including the stairs that access the three tiers of the stands. Functioning like an arcade or a concourse, the lobby is a covered urban space with restaurants and stores that invite visitors to stroll around. Just as birds stuff the spaces between the woven twigs of their nests with a soft filler, the spaces in the structure of the stadium will be filled with inflated ETFE cushions. Originally, on the roof, the cushions were to be mounted on the outside of the structure to make the roof completely weatherproof, but the roof has been omitted from the design in 2004.

While the rain was to be collected for rainwater recuperation, the sunlight was to filter through the translucent roof, providing the lawn with essential ultraviolet radiation. On the facade, the inflated cushions will be mounted on the inside of the structure where necessary, e.g. to provide wind protection. Since all of the facilities -- restaurants, suites, shops and restrooms -- are all self-contained units, it is possible to do largely without a solid, enclosed facade. This allows for natural ventilation of the stadium, which is the most important aspect of the stadium's sustainable design.

The sliding roof was an integral part of the stadium structure. When it was to be closed, it would have converted the stadium into a covered arena; however, the sliding roof was eliminated in an effort to cut costs and increase overall safety of the radical new structure.

Beijing Articles

Top Beijing Tours

$300 Per Day

Tour to the Most Beautiful Ancient Villages in China

1. Tuvas Village in Kanas, Xinjiang

Kanas Tuvas Village is near mysterious Lake Kanas. The small village is located in a valley, and only has about 80 houses. These Swiss-style wooden houses are all surrounded by wooden fences, scattered among pine trees and birch trees.

Tuvas is an ancient minority group. They traditionally lived as hunter-gathers. It is said that the Tuvas people are the descendants of one group of Genghis Khan’s troops. Kumiss, yogurt, milk tea, and butter are special snacks there.

2. Jiaju Tibetan Village, Danba, Sichuan Province

Jiaju Tibetan Village is known as the "Tibetan fairyland". Jiaju Tibetan Village is on a slight hill slope, and consists of about 140 houses. These unique houses are all built with crown-shaped roofs, red eaves, and white walls, which make the houses look like little castles among the forest.

3. Baoshan Stone City, an Naxi Ancient Village Built on a Huge Rock

Baoshao Stone City was built on a huge mushroom-shaped rock, and only has about one hundred houses. The houses are laid out in and orderly way, built on the rock, and linked by stone steps. The locals often chisel the local rock into stone tables, stone benches, stone hearths, and stone water vats.

The Naxi people have cut rice terraces and planted crops (such as rice, wheat, and corn) on the hills around the mushroom rock. The Naxi people there still lead an original life; you can experience the colorful Naxi culture there.

4. Hongcun and Xidi, Two Ancient Villages Near the Yellow Mountains

These two ancient villages have been included in the list of World Cultural Heritage. Both of these villages have a history of more than 900 years. They are renowned for their peaceful rural scenery, well-kept ancient buildings: unique Anhui style dwellings, and profound culture. The mountains, the rivers, and the ancient dwellings, make two highly picturesque landscapes.

Location: Only about 40 kilometers from the Yellow Mountains, you can take a bus from Yellow Mountain Scenic Area to Xidi or Hongcun. The distance between Hongcun and Xidi is about 25 kilometers. You can hire a bike after you arrive at one of them, and then cycle to the other village.

For artists: When visiting these ancient villages, you might want to bring your sketch pad and join the art students and artists, who go out there to capture their beauty on paper.

5. Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village: the Largest Miao Village in China

If you are interested in the Miao Minority, Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village can be a great destination for deepening your understanding of Miao history and culture.

Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village consists of more than ten natural hamlets (including the famous Silversmith Hamlet), which are all built on hills. The Miao people are keen on silver ornaments, and their unique silver ornaments are all made exquisitely.

The Miao Minority has many festivals, and the most famous two are: Miao New Year and Guzang Festival (牯藏节, an ancestor-worship celebration based on Miao culture).

Transportation: Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village is about 210 kilometers from Guiyang City (the capital city of Guizhou Province), which is equivalent to a 3.5-hour drive.

6. Wuyuan in Jiangxi: the Most Beautiful Villages in China

Wuyuan is noted for having "the most beautiful villages in China". In fact, Wuyuan is a county, with many ancient Ming and Qing style architectural features, including 113 ancient ancestral halls, 28 ancient mansions, 36 ancient dwellings, and 187 ancient bridges.

Every village in Wuyuan is built with a river in front, and mountains behind. These villages with elegant buildings are all peacefully harmonious with the natural scenery. Hiking in the surrounding countryside is a popular activity there.

Transportation: Wuyuan is only about 90 kilometers from the Yellow Mountains, and buses linking these two attractions are available every day.

7. Ancient Hakka Villages with Unique Earthen Buildings

You might think these large round or square buildings are fortifications, not dwellings. In fact, they are the Hakka people’s houses: earthen buildings, which are mainly built in flying-saucer-like shapes.

These ancient earthen buildings are mainly located in Fujian Province, especially in Nanjing Prefecture (南靖县) and Yongding Prefecture (永定县). Some of them have hundreds of years of history. If you want to have a visit, two ancient villages are recommended: Hongkeng Village (洪坑村) and Chuxi Village (初溪村) in Yongding Prefecture.

Both of these two villages have a history of hundreds of years, and are built among hills and by rivers. There, you can learn about the construction of earthen buildings, the history of the Hakka, and enjoy the peace brought by the natural scenery.

Transport: Yongding is about 307 kilometers (a 4-hour drive) from Xiamen (check out the transport between Xiamen and Yongding).

 

$500 Per Day

Beijing One - Day Tour

Great Wall - A La Carte Lunch - Summer Palace - Chinese Kung Fu Show or the Acrobatic Show as you like

Pick tourists up at your hotel (between 8:30 am. to 9:00 am.)
Morning
We advise you to have a hearty breakfast at the hotel as you will need it for today's high-energy output. Our first stop is Mutianyu Great Wall, which is about 90 kilometres away from downtown area. Connecting Juyongguan Pass in the west and Gubeikou Great Wall in the east, Mutianyu with numerous watch towers and dangerous passes has been acclaimed as the quintessential section of the entire Great Wall. You will be amazed by the delightful view whatever the season.
This is a one of the most famous and ideal sections of the Great Wall. You will have your choice of taking the cable car or chair lift up the breathtaking wall and spend a leisurely 1 to 2 hours hiking up and down the various sections exploring the Watch Towers and marveling at the construction and beauty of the renown and legendary Wall. You then have the option of an exhilarating toboggan ride back down or simply return the way you came.
Lunch
To avoid the mass-produced food at the cheap tourist eateries arranged by most agencies, we will serve you an a la carte lunch at a noted local restaurant, where you could taste the authentic Chinese food.
Afternoon
In the afternoon, We will go to visit the Summer Palace, a fantastic imperial resort. With its perfect layout, magnificent buildings and enchanting landscape, the Summer Palace is also reputed as the most splendid classical garden in China. The most attractive sites are the enchanting Kunming Lake and the well-known Long Gallery. The Long Gallery, 728 meters (796.2 yards) in length, is the longest gallery of China's gardens. Beginning from the Yaoyue (Inviting-Moon) Gate and ending at Shizhang Pavilion, the Long Gallery ingeniously links Longevity Hill with Kunming Lake.

Night
To round off a memorable start to your trip, we will arrange a Cost price 280 yuan per person wonderful and exciting Chinese Kung Fu Show for you at the Red Theater tonight or a Cost price 280 yuan  per person wonderful and exciting  Chinese Acrobatic Show for you at the Chaoyang Theater  tonight as you like.

Prices ( Prices are in Chinese Yuan and based on per person)

Include

1. English tour guide service fee
2. Air-conditioned vehicle with Driver' wage
3. Petrol, Toll fee, All the Parking fee
4. Delicious Lunch in a local Chinese restaurant
5. All entrance tickets to the sights listed above
6. Round trip Cable car or Round trip Chair lift or Chair lift up and toboggan down the wall

Excluded

1. Accommodation
2. Dinner
3. Entrance ticket to the Bird Nest and Water Cube
4. Gratuity to the guide and driver
5. Personal Costs
 

$300 Per Day

10 Days Cuisine Feast Tour with All the Major China Cuisines

Day 1 Arrival Beijing (D)

Transfer via: Flight on your own arrangement
Upon your arrival you will be greeted by our local guide and then transferred to your hotel by a private air-conditioned car. For the rest of the day you will enjoy some leisure time.
Dinner: Tonight the spectacular Peking duck banquet at Qianmen Quanjude Beijing Duck Restaurant- the most famous Beijing duck restaurant in the world. With a history of 137 years, it will give you an enthusiastic welcome.
Day 2 Beijing (B, L, D)

Sightseeing: Temple of Heaven, Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City
This morning our tour will begin with a visit of the Temple of Heaven, which was completed in 1420, and expanded over the years by two Qing Dynasty Emperors. It was the place where the Emperor came every winter solstice to worship heaven and to solemnly pray for a good harvest. With the three blue-tiled cone-shaped roofs, a unique wooden and blue-tiled structure built without a nail, it has become a worldwide symbol of Beijing.

After lunch, we will go on our city tour to visit Tiananmen Square, the symbolical heart of China and gathering place for the masses. It is the biggest public square in the world, which can hold one million people.

From here we will walk across the Golden River Bridge to visit the Forbidden City and experience the ancient Emperor's daily life. For 5 centuries Chinese emperors carried out their administration here. With almost 10,000 rooms, it was the centre of the Ming and Qing dynasties, a massive complex of palaces, pavilions, courtyards and gardens where 24 emperors used to live. Forbidden City was the largest palace in the world, and in the past it was indeed a forbidden place for commoners. Your tour here will include private access to the Emperor's palace.


Dinner: Fujian cuisine
Fujian cuisine is noted for its light touch, sweet and sour flavor. The cooking puts great attention in choosing the choicest ingredients, and is thus particularly apt in preparing seafood dishes. The dishes mostly marinated in wine, are souring sweet, specialize in all kinds of seafood, stir-fired, quick-fried and shallow oil-fried; simmered, with stress on flavor soup.

Restaurant: BaMinShiFu
Tel: 86-010- 64428833-5855
Address: No. 11, 3section AnZhenXiLi Chaoyang District, Beijing
Day 3 Beijing (B, L, D)

Sightseeing: Badaling Great Wall, Ming Tombs, Sacred Way
After experiencing the royal lifestyle, today we will be transferred to the surrounding countryside of Beijing and visit the Badaling Great Wall, the pride of China and one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Whereas Genghis Khan contemplated it as a military obstacle, Richard Nixon described it as one of humankind's greatest achievements. You will be able to climb and walk one of the best preserved sections of the 2,000 years old ancient wall, admiring the splendid mountain views. Bring a jacket and layer- although it is breezy, the climbing is tough. So be in a good shape!

In the afternoon we will visit the legendary Ming Tombs, which are situated at the foot of Heavenly Longevity Mountain, Changping, northwest of Beijing. Since there are 13 Ming emperors buried there, this place was called the 13 Ming Tombs. You will walk along the Sacred Way, a road guarded by stone statues on both sides, as the ancient emperors did to hold a memorial ceremony for their ancestors. In addition, you will encounter the marble tombs of the Ming Dynasty emperors.
On the way back to hotel, you will be driven to visit the main 2008 Beijing Olympic venues, take an exterior visit of both the, Beijing National Stadium (Bird's Nest/Olympic Stadium), National Swimming Centre('The Water Cube'),feel free to take some photos of the stadiums.
Dinner: Anhui cuisine

Anhui cuisine follows strict rules in the use of heat and salt; stewed in brown sauce with stress on heavy oil and sauce.

Restaurant: Huangshan Hui Restaurant
Tel: 86- 010-63031467
Address: TianQiaoLiuXue Road ChongWen District, Beijing
Day 4 Beijing / Shanghai (B, L, D)

Transfer via: Flight on our arrangement
Sightseeing: Hutongs, Summer Palace
We will experience a unique Hutong tour by taking a rickshaw this morning. Hutongs are a kind of ancient city alley or lane and are very typical for Beijing. Most of them can be found close to the Forbidden City, and many were built during the three dynasties of Yuan, Ming and Qing. Today, the Hutong is a living museum of Beijing history showing the traditional lifestyle of Beijing people.

We will continue by visiting the Summer Palace. Equally famous as the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace is called 'Yiheyuan' (Garden of Nurtured Harmony) in Chinese. Until nowadays, it is the best preserved and the largest imperial garden in China. You will regret it if you leave Beijing without having visited this grand imperial garden.

Then you will take the flight to Shanghai. Arriving in Shanghai, you will be met and transferred to your hotel by our local guide. Together, you will take a walk to the famous Nanjing Road and the Bund. They are among the most recognizable architectural symbols of Shanghai and therefore a must-see when visiting Shanghai.
Dinner: Zhejiang cuisine

Zhejiang food is represented by Hangzhou, Ningbo, and Shaoxing styles. Zhejiang cuisine is tender, mild and fresh.

Restaurant: FeiHuangRenWen Restaurant
Tel: 86- 021-63249533
Address: No.330 Tiantong Road Hongkou District, Shanghai
Day 5 Shanghai (B, L, D)

Sightseeing: Shanghai Museum, Jade Buddha Temple, Oriental Pearl Tower, Yuyuan Garden
Today we will start the day with a visit of Shanghai Museum which is the biggest museum of China. It incorporates a collection of over 120,000 pieces of Chinese art & cultural relics and is especially famous for its treasures of bronzes, ceramics, paintings and calligraphy.

Then we head to the Jade Buddha Temple. The old-time and classical architectural style makes the temple unique and inimitable in this modern city. Both, the Sitting Buddha and the Recumbent Buddha are carved with whole white jade. If you're lucky, you can watch the monks serving a ceremony in a side room.

After lunch, we will visit the Oriental Pearl Tower, the highest TV Tower in Asia, which creates a picture of 'twin dragons playing with pearls'. The entire scene is a photographic jewel that excites the imagination and attracts thousands of visitors all year-round.

Then we will take a relaxing walk to the lovely Yuyuan Garden, a beautiful garden in the south of the Yangtze River. Wandering through it, you will find pavilions, corridors, streams, courtyards as well as many other natural features.
Dinner: Shandong cuisine

Shandong food consists of Jinan and Fushan food. Jinan food makes good use of soup seasoning, frying in deep oil and steaming. Shandong roast chicken is especially good with wine and the chicken is and tender. Tasting it is guaranteed to make the diner believe. Shandong cuisine is known for its light seasoning, qualities of freshness, clear colors and delicate fragrance and pure tastes.

Restaurant: Luwei Restaurant
Tel: 86-021-63738270
Address: No.18 Yunnan Nan Road Huangpu District, Shanghai
Day 6 Shanghai / Suzhou (B, L, D)

Transfer via: soft seat train arranged by us
Sightseeing: Humble Administrator's Garden, Zhouzhuang.
In the morning we'll depart from your hotel and take the express train to Suzhou. Suzhou is praised as the "Oriental Venice" and called 'paradise on earth' along with Hangzhou.
Upon your arrival in Suzhou, our guide will meet you and escort you to a local restaurant for lunch. Then you will visit the Humble Administrator's Garden, the largest classical garden in Suzhou and one of the four most famous ones in China. Originally built in 1513 AD, the garden consists of three parts with different types buildings around streams and ponds.
We will spend the afternoon in Zhouzhuang, one of the most famous water townships in China. Situated in Kunshan City, which is only 30 kilometers (18 miles) southeast of Suzhou, it is noted for its profound cultural background, the well preserved ancient residential houses, the elegant watery views and the strong local colored traditions and customs. Let us explore this town with a history of more than 2500 years and get to know about the architecture, lifestyle and inhabitants there.
Afterwards you will be transferred back to Suzhou to spend the rest of your day on your own.
Dinner: Jiangsu cuisine

The origin of Jiangsu cuisine can be traced to pre-Christian times. Jiangsu cuisine specialties are lightly flavored, whether they combine sweet-and-salty tastes. Soya sauce and spices are mild and used sparingly, although the use of rich-flavored broth is extensive.

Restaurant: BaoFangYuan Restaurant
Tel: 86- 0512-67206597
Address: No. 207 Pishi Street Pinjiang District Suzhou.
Day 7 Suzhou / Hangzhou (B, L, D)

Transfer via: soft seat train arranged by us
Sightseeing: West Lake, Meijiawu Tea Plantation
Our guide and driver will escort you from Hotel to train station (Suzhou). Upon your arrival in Hangzhou, our local guide will meet you and escort you to beautiful West Lake. We will take a cruise boat across the lake to see the 3 pagodas in the lake. The West Lake is the most famous tourist spot of Hangzhou. Graceful mountains surround it on three sides. It has a charming scenery and many cultural relics and historic sites. Then you will visit the Meijiawu Tea Plantation. Tea village is seated at the hinterland of West Lake Park and it is famous for its tea production. Everybody will feel relax in such a natural environment; enjoy the special tea culture and the beauty there.
Dinner:Hunan cuisine

Hunan cuisine takes curing, simmering, steaming and stewing as the main cooking methods. It is fragrant and fresh, sour and peppery, yet soft and tender.

Restaurant: DingXianFang Restaurant
Tel: 0571-87823878
Address: No.456 Qingtai Road Shangcheng district, Hangzhou.
Day 8 Hangzhou (B, L, D)

Sightseeing: Six Harmonies Pagoda, Lingyin Temple and Feilai Feng (also named Ling JiuFeng)
Today you will also visit Lingyin Temple including the Feilai Feng. The Feilai Feng is situated in the east of Ling Yin Temple. Isolated from others, its stone quality is totally different from that of surrounding mountain groups. It is 167 meters high, on the peak there are many grotesque stones in the shapes of charming dragon, prostrate tiger, walking elephant and scared ape. The main hall of Lingyin Temple is about 34 meters (111 feet) tall - incredibly high for a one-storey building. In the center of the hall you'll find the statue of Sakyamuni Buddha, which was carved from 24 pieces of camphor wood. The temple was named Lingyin Temple for its extremely beautiful environment which is serene and suitable for "Soul's Retreat".
After that, we will drive to the Six Harmonies Pagoda, highly erected next to Qiantang River and in the south of the West Lake. It is a perfect example of brick-and-wood structure built in ancient China and was built in 970 AD in the Northern Song dynasty (960-1127) to press down the evil of the river tidal bore in Qiantang River.
After lunch, our guide and driver will escort you to the bus station (Hangzhou), upon your arrival in Huangshan; our local guide will meet you and escort you to hotel by a private air-conditioned car. Then you will spend the rest of day on your leisure.


Dinner: Sichuan cuisine

Distinct features of Sichuan style: they prefer steaming, simmering, and smoking. The cooking is elaborate and meticulous and the flavoring highly varied and mixed. The taste of each dish is very distinct. A common Chinese saying about Sichuan cuisine is that each meal has its own unique taste, and no two dishes have the same flavor. Sichuan cuisine is world-famous for its diverse hot and spicy flavor.

Restaurant: ChuanLiuBuXi Restaurant  
Tel: 86-0571-86069777 87172577
Address: No.246 Jiefang Road Shangcheng District, Hangzhou
Day 9 Hangzhou-Guangzhou (B, L, D)

Transfer via: Flight on our arrangement
Sightseeing: Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, Ancestral Temple of the Chen Family
Upon your arrival at the airport you will be met by your local guide. Then you will start your sightseeing tour by visiting Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall. It is a magnificent building in the shape of octagon and an important place for large scale meeting and performance. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall was built in order to commemorate the contributions of Sun Zhongshan, the great predecessor of Chinese revolution for democracy. It is a memorial construction donated by the people in Guangzhou and the overseas Chinese and is listed as one of the first class cultural relics in Guangdong Province.

Afterwards you will visit the Ancestral Temple of the Chen Family which is also called Chen Clan Academy. It is a place both for offering up sacrifices to ancestors and for study. Now 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.
Dinner: Guangdong cuisine

In preparing the Guangdong cuisine, dozens of varieties of ingredients are often involved and more than 30 different kinds of cooking methods such as frying, grilling, stewing, simmering, deep-frying, roasting, and braising, etc. Freshness is everything to the Guangdong cuisine.

Restaurant: ALiuShiJia Restaurant
Tel: 86- 020-83516761
Address: No.302 Huanshizhong Road Yuexiu District, Guangzhou.
Day 10 Guangzhou (B, L)
Sightseeing: Yuexiu Park, Temple of Six Banyan Trees, Western Han Nanyue King Tomb Museum
In the morning we will start off to Yuexiu Park, the biggest comprehensive sight-seeing park. Yuexiu Park consists of seven hummocks and three artificial lakes. Yuexiu Park is well-known for beautiful hills and waters and plenty of antiques which you can enjoy at ease in the park. There are verdant grasses and trees, birds' singing, and fragrant flowers all through the year. Travelers will lose themselves in the elaborately engraved and Lingnan-styled pavilions, platforms, towers, and corridors; and the rippling water of the lakes.
Then you will head to the Temple of Six Banyan Trees. It has a long history in Guangzhou and is an ancient monastery famous at home and abroad. There are majestic towers, dense trees, plenty of antiques and valuable heritage from those famous people in the history. It is one of the four Buddhism temple complexes in Guangzhou is an important unit for the preservation of antiques.
Finally you will visit Western Han Nanyue King Tomb Museum, which is the oldest and largest Han tomb with the most funerary objects in Lingnan (South of the Nanling Mountain) Area. As one of the 80 famous museums in the world, the museum covers 14,000 square meters (150, 699.6 square feet) with 10 exhibition halls.
In the evening you will be transferred to the airport to take your flight to the next destination.