Heart of Ancient China
During the ancient time, Xian and Luoyang were two of the most prosperous and civilized cities in China. There were 26 ancient dynasties setting capital in Xian and Luoyang during, including the first united feudal empire - Qin Dynasty (221~206 BC)and glorious Tang Dynasty (618~904 CD). The essences of both two cities have survived behind todays’ modern outlook. If you have a couple of days to stay in Xian, don’t forget its great neighbor Luoyang. Magnificent Longmen Grottoes, the first Buddhist temple in China - White Horse Temple, the birthplace of Chinese Kung Fu - Shaolin Temple... there are so many things to explore.
Highlights of this tour
Welcome to Xian! Your tour guide will meet you at Xian Xianyang International Airport (or railway station), then escort you to your hotel in a private vehicle. The rest of today is on your own to explore this ancient capital of China.
Note: if you arrive at Xian in early and want to have some activities arranged for the rest time, please let us know in advance. There are many options available (with extra costs), including: 1) visit a local family and learn to cook Chinese dishes or making dumplings; 2) have an interesting class of Chinese calligraphy or painting in Tangbo Art Museum; 3) explore the bustling Zhonggulou Square where the beautiful Bell Towers and Drum Towers are located at.
Arrival Ideas: Xian is only about 2~3 hours flying from majority of big cities in China, such as Beijing, Xian, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Shanghai, etc. You can also get to Xian by high speed trains from Beijing(5.5hrs), Shanghai (6-7hrs), Guangzhou (8.5-9hrs), Hangzhou (6.5-7hrs), Pingyao (3hrs), Zhengzhou (2hrs), and so on.
After breakfast, drive about 40 km to discover one of the greatest man-made wonders in the world - the Terracotta Warriors and Horses, built by the first emperor of China Qin Shihuang to protect him in his afterlife. Over 8,000 life-size warriors, horses and chariots, buried in 3 pits for more than 2,000 years until uncovered by a local farmer in 1974, form an ancient military army with complete battle units of infantry, cavalry, etc. Standing in front of these figures, one can't help being amazed not only by the ambition of Emperor Qin Shihuang but also by the fabulous artistic skills of ancient Chinese artisans. (Before the Terracotta Warriors Museum visit, you will have a rare opportunity to make a miniature Terracotta Warrior on your own under the instruction of a local potter.)
After lunch, return to Xian to take a wonderful stroll on the Ancient City Wall, the largest and best-preserved ancient city wall in China. Enjoy panoramic views of modern Xian while you leisurely examine this well-maintained city wall which is 12 meters high and 18 meters wide with a total circuit of nearly 14 kilometers. Rent a bike (extra cost: 45RMB) to enjoy a relaxing cycling on the Wall is strongly recommended. The cycling routes and duration are flexible. Feel free to discuss with your tour guide. Leave the City Wall, then go to wander leisurely around bustling and lively Muslim Quarter, a place where you can try different local snacks and explore Muslim culture. Don't miss the Great Mosque of Xian which is a fusion of Chinese culture and Islamic culture, a sacred religious site with huge ancient architectural complex, also a surprisingly quiet land away from the bustling Muslim streets. After the Great Mosque visit, you will be escorted back to your hotel. (If you want to stay more time at the Muslim Quarter for dinner and relaxing, or want to explore the nearby Bell & Drum Towers on your own, please let your tour guide know)
Optional activity: Enjoy a wonderful Tang Palace Dance Show (usually from 8pm to 9pm) after (or without) a hearty dumpling dinner at a local restaurant.
After breakfast, head to Da Cien Temple, a famous Buddhist sutra translation site during the Tang Dynasty. Big Wild Goose Pagoda is the most famous building in the temple. The pagoda, rising to a height of 64.5 meters, was built by the famous Buddhist master Xuanzang to preserve classic scriptures he bought back from India during the early Tang Dynasty. Xuanzang was the prototype character for Tang Seng in the famous Chinese novel “Journey to the West”. (Note: It costs an extra 30 RMB if you want to climb up the Big Wild Goose Pagoda)
Next is an educational visit to the Shaanxi History Museum where you can ramble in the modern exhibition halls to appreciate historic relics such as porcelains, paintings, and currencies dating from the Zhou to the Tang dynastic periods (1100 BC to 907 AD). (Note: Shaanxi History Museum may be replaced with other activity or attraction because of crowding tourists during July ~ early September and China’s National Day during Oct.1-Oct.7. You may check details with your travel consultant.)
After the trip in Xian, transfer to Xian North Train Station to take the 1.5-hour high speed train to Luoyang. Welcome to Luoyang, one of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China! Your local guide will meet you at the train station and escort you to check in to your hotel in a private vehicle. The rest of today is yours to explore freely in this ancient city.
After breakfast, your guide will take you to visit Longmen Grottoes, which contains the largest and most impressive collection of Chinese art of the late Northern Wei and Tang Dynasties (316-907). The UNESCO World Heritage site is densely scattered on the cliffs of Mount Longmen (West Hill) and Mount Xiangshan (East Mountain) – on two banks of Yi River. West Hill houses the major caves with notable displays of Buddhist sculptures and calligraphic inscriptions. You won’t miss Bingyang Cave which tells a wealth of history and artistic value, including Guyang Vave with over 1,000 Buddha statues and 800 calligraphy inscriptions, and Fengxian Temple – the largest cave with a 17.14-meter-tall sculpture of Vairocana Buddha.
After the great sightseeing in Longmen Grottoes, drive to Luoyang Museum which shows ancient Luoyang from all perspectives. There are more than 1,000 exhibits dating back to the Tang Dynasty (A.D. 618 ~ 907) and even to the earliest prehistoric times (before the 21st century B.C.) in the informative display halls, such as exquisite tri-colored glazed potteries, various bronzeware, ancient clay sculpture, treasured calligraphy and paintings, etc.
Then head to the center of Luoyang to visit Tianzi Jialiu Museum. The burial of the royal horses and chariots that were sacrificed during Eastern Zhou Dynasty is earlier than that of Terracotta Warriors in Xian. Lastly, go to take a leisure walk on the ancient streets of Luoyang Old City. It is a lively place with many old residential buildings, food streets, and delicate shops. Just freely appreciate the splendor of old Luoyang, taste some local snacks or purchase some interesting souvenirs freely.
After the trip, drive back to your hotel.
After breakfast, start today's trip with a visit to White Horse Temple, about 50 minutes' driving from central downtown. Established in AD 68 of Eastern Han dynasty, White Horse Temple is the first Buddhist temple in China with over 1900 years history. Since then, it spreads the Buddhism throughout China and is regarded as the cradle of Chinese Buddhism. Visiting White Horse Temple permits you not only to appreciate the old architectures in the main temple, but also to enjoy different other temples with exotic styles in the International Zone, including Indian Temple, Burmese Temple, and Thai Temple.
After sightseeing in White Horse Temple, keep driving about 1.5hrs to Shaolin Temple, the birthplace of Zen Buddhism and the cradle of Kung Fu. You will visit the grandiose temples and halls, admire stone carving art, learn about Buddhism culture, and observe the daily living and meditation of monks in the temple. Don't miss the famous Pagoda Forest, the existing largest pagoda forest in China. When an important monk passed away, their cremains or skeleton would be put into the underground palace, and a pagoda will be built on it. The pagoda's height, size and number of layers will be decided according to the monk's Buddhism knowledge, reputation and merits and virtues during his lifetime. You will also enjoy a magnificent Kung Fu Show in Shaolin Wushu Hall which is performed by martial monks of Shaolin Temple daily, and usually lasts for about half an hour.
After the Kung Fu experience, drive back to Luoyang or Zhengzhou to catch your train or flight to your next destination.
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Xian / Huashan / Luoyang
Xian / Luoyang Longmen Grottoes / Xian
Beijing / Luoyang / Xian
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