DAY    1            DEPARTURE FROM NORTH AMERICA
Enjoy full meal service on your scheduled wide-bodied flight to Beijing.

DAY    2            ARRIVE BEIJING (4 NIGHTS)
Our English-speaking guide will meet us at the airport and accompany us on our transfer by private coach to our hotel in central Beijing. We will enjoy dinner in a local restaurant.

DAY    3            BEIJING
Our morning commences in Tian'an Men Square, the world's largest public square (the size of 90 American football fields). In the center of the square stands the Monument to the People's Heroes (Renmin Yingxiong Jinian Bei), a 124-ft.granite obelisk erected in 1958, engraved with scenes from famous uprisings. We will visit the massive Great Hall of the People, one of the world's architectural marvels, where the thousands of representatives that make up China's governing body, the People's Congress, meet for most of the year. We continue with a visit to the Forbidden City, a massive complex of red-walled buildings and pavilions topped by a sea of glazed vermilion tile. It is by far the largest and most intricate imperial palace in China and receives more visitors than any other attraction in the country. Our visit will include the Inner Court, where only the emperor, his family, his concubines, and the palace eunuchs were allowed; the Hall of Mental Cultivation, where emperors lived after Yongzheng moved out of the Qianqing Gong; the Nine Dragon Screen, an 11 1/2-ft-high wall covered in striking glazed-tile dragons depicted frolicking above a frothing sea, built to protect the Qianlong emperor from prying eyes and malevolent spirits; the Hall of Jewelry, with all 25 of the Qing imperial seals, ornate swords, and bejeweled mini-pagodas; Cixi's Theater, an elaborate green-tiled three-tiered structure with trap doors and hidden passageways to allow movement between stages; and the Hall of Clocks, a collection of elaborate timepieces, many of them gifts to the emperors from European envoys. Our afternoon concludes with a visit to the Temple of Heaven, an enormous park and altar to Heaven directly to the south of the Forbidden City. Each winter solstice, the Ming and Qing emperors would lead a procession here to perform rites and make sacrifices designed to promote the next year's crops and curry favor with Heaven for the general health of the empire. This evening we will enjoy a Peking Duck Dinner.

DAY    4            THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA & MING TOMBS
This morning we will journey outside of the city for a visit to the Great Wall of China, one of the world's most awesome and impressive sights. The Great Wall snakes its way from east to west for nearly 4,000 miles, and has been in existence for over 2,600 years. This afternoon we visit the Ming Tombs, where 13 of the 16 emperors who ruled China during the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) are buried in a box canyon at the southern foot of Tianshou Shan. This is the most extensive burial complex of any Chinese dynasty and the tombs are constructed in conventional fashion, with memorial halls at the front and burial chambers to the rear. This evening we will enjoy an Acrobat Show.

DAY    5            BEIJING
Our day commences with a Beijing Hutong Tour. A hutong is a unique form of community with a small street or a lane between two courtyards. There are thousands of hutongs in Beijing, most of which were built in the Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties. We will enjoy a fascinating tour by Rickshaw, which will include visits with local families, as well as a magnificent glance into residential Chinese life. Next we visit the Yonghe Gong (Lama Temple), a complex of progressively larger buildings topped with ornate yellow-tiled roofs built in 1694 and originally belonging to the Qing prince who would become the Yongzheng emperor. As was the custom, the complex was converted to a temple after Yongzheng's move to the Forbidden City in 1744. The temple is home to several rather beautiful incense burners, including a particularly ornate one in the second courtyard that dates back to 1746. The Falun Dian (Hall of the Wheel of Law) contains a 20-ft. bronze statue of Tsongkapa, the founder of the reformist Yellow Hat (Geluk) sect of Tibetan Buddhism, which is now the dominant school of Tibetan Buddhism. The last of the five central halls, the Wanfu Ge (Tower of Ten Thousand Happinesses), houses the temple's prize possession -- an ominous Tibetan-style statue of Maitreya (the future Buddha), 60 ft. tall, and carved from a single piece of white sandalwood. This afternoon we visit the Summer Palace, the grandest imperial playground in China. The compound is an expanse of elaborate Qing-style pavilions, bridges, walkways, and gardens, scattered along the shores of the immense Kunming Lake. We will enjoy a tour of the park, which covers roughly 716 acres, with Kunming Lake in the south and Longevity Hill in the north. We will also have the opportunity to take slow electric-powered Boats on the Lake and stroll along Suzhou Street, which is filled with interesting shops. After dinner this evening we can explore Lotus Lane.

DAY    6            BEIJING - OVERNIGHT TRAIN (1 NIGHT) TO NANJING
Our day commences with a visit to a Local School to meet Chinese students and compare the school system in China with our own. Next we will explore modern Beijing and the future of China. We begin with a guided tour of one of Beijing's Densely Populated Areas, where we will view the modern high rises, residential buildings and building projects. We continue to the Zhongguancun Science Park, which is China's equivalent of Silicon Valley. This is the most important sector of Beijing and the area where all the leading technologies are being developed. This afternoon we will visit a Farm in the Hechunhe Suburb, where we will visit with a farmer and his family, and get a glimpse into agricultural life in China. After dinner, we will board an overnight train for Nanjing.

DAY    7            ARRIVE NANJING (2 NIGHTS)
We will arrive in Nanjing early this morning and transfer to our hotel for breakfast and time to relax. Late this morning we explore Nanjing, which was the nation's capital in the early years of the Míng dynasty (A.D. 1368-1644), and then the capital of the Republic of China from 1911 to 1937. Upon our arrival, we will visit Zhonghua Men Chengbao, the largest and best preserved of the city wall's original 13 gates. Built by the Hóngwu emperor between 1366 and 1386, the wall, at 20 miles was the longest city wall in the world. We will Climb to the Top for wonderful views of the city. Our afternoon commences with a visit to the Nánjing Dàtúsha Jìniànguan (Memorial to the Victims of the Nánjing Massacre), a museum commemorating the atrocities suffered by the Chinese during the Japanese invasion of Nánjing in 1937. Located at Jiang Dong Mén, which was itself an execution and mass burial site during the invasion, the museum consists of an outdoor exhibit; a coffin-shaped viewing hall containing some excavated victims' bones; as well as pictures and artifacts documenting the Japanese onslaught, the massacre, and the aftermath. The final room documents the reconciliation, however tenuous, between the Chinese and Japanese. Our day concludes with a visit to Zongtong Fu, the seat of government of the Liangjiang viceroy's office (1671-1911), the Tàipíng Heavenly Kingdom (1853-1864), Sun Yat-sen's provisional government (1912), and the Nationalist government (1927-1937; 1946-1949). This fascinating site has borne witness to all the important events and personalities in Nánjing's history. Though this presidential palace dates to the Míng dynasty, today's buildings were all built after 1870. Just inside the main entrance, the Great Hall marked by the words (The world belongs to all) used to be the first in a series of nine magnificent halls during the Tàipíng Heavenly Kingdom. On January 1, 1912, provisional president of the new Chinese republic Sun Yat-sen held his inauguration here. After the second hall, the next series of rooms were used by Chiang Kai-shek, elected president in 1948, to receive foreign guests, among them U.S. Gen. George Marshall, who was attempting to broker a truce between Chiang and Máo Zédong. In Xuyuán, the garden on the western side of the compound, a stone boat is the only remaining original artifact from the days of the Tàipíng Heavenly Kingdom.

DAY    8            NANJING
Our day begins with a visit to the Zhongshan Líng, the magnificent mausoleum for Dr. Sun Yat-sen, widely revered as the founder of modern China. Sun Yat-sen died in Beijing in 1925 but wasn't interred here until 1929, when construction of the mausoleum was complete. The tomb itself is at the end of a long, steep approach beginning with a Memorial Archway made of white Fújiàn marble and capped by blue glazed tiles. Symbolizing the white sun on the blue background of the Guómíndang flag, the colors also marked a departure from the yellow tiles used to honor all of China's previous emperors. At the top of the 392-step grand tomb passage, a white marble statue of Dr. Sun sits under the pretty mosaic roof of the Memorial Hall. Next we walk to the Míng Xiào Líng (Míng Filial Tomb), the tomb of the founder of the Míng dynasty, Zhu Yuánzhang (1328-1398), also known as the Hóngwu emperor, was the prototype for the subsequent Míng and Qing emperors' tombs in Beijing. Zhu Yuánzhang was the only Míng emperor to be buried in Nánjing. Originally enclosed by a large vermilion wall 14 miles in circumference, the tomb, which was started in 1381 but completed some 40 years later, has suffered a great deal of damage. Today we can view a few dilapidated gates, bridges, stone animals, and buildings and a large, unexcavated burial mound. Next we stroll along the Shíxiàng Lù, a pleasant winding walkway lined with stone carvings of 12 pairs of animals. The second half of the passageway, flanked by pairs of soldiers and mandarins, leads to Jinshui Qiáo (bridge), and further on, Hóngwu's coffin was carried to his underground palace along Shénxian Qiáo. Behind the Míng Lóu (tower) with its double eaves and yellow-tiled ridged roofs is a forbidding stone wall marking the burial mound. Our day concludes at Fuzi Miao (Confusian Temple), once a place of intense study and quiet contemplation. Today's Fuzi Miào is a loud and showy market square, however to the east was once the Jiang Nán Gòngyuàn, an academy first built in 1169 and which later became the largest imperial civil examination halls during the Míng and Qing dynasties, with over 20,000 cells for examinees. Today, a handful of rooms have been restored into a Museum, the Jiangnán Gòngyuàn Lìshi Chénlièguan, and we can reenact part of the examination process by donning period robes and Míng dynasty hats and sequestering ourselves in the cells which have white walls, bare concrete floors, and two boards stretched across the cells as a seat and a table.

DAY    9            NANJING - WUXI (1 NIGHT)
This morning we travel to Wuxi in the southern part of Jiangsu Province. Upon our arrival we will visit Xihui Gongyuan, a park in the northwestern part of town, which is dominated by two hills that have become symbols of Wúxi, Xi Shan after which the city was named, and Huì Shan. We will take the Chairlift to the top of Xi Shan, which will afford magnificent views of the surrounding area. On the top, we will have the opportunity to climb up to the seven-story octagonal brick-and-wood Lóngguang Ta (Dragon Light Pagoda) for good views of the Grand Canal snaking through the city. After taking the lift down, we will transfer to the foot of Huì Shan to explore the famous Míng dynasty garden, Jìchàng Yuán, laid out in classical southern style with walkways, rockeries, ponds, and pavilions. Just southwest of the garden is the Second Spring Under Heaven (Tianxià Dìèr Quán), three wells containing the putative second-best water source in China for brewing tea, according to Lù Yu's Táng dynasty. We continue to Tài Hú (Lake Tài), one of China's four largest freshwater lakes and its most fabled body of water. Covering over 950 sq. miles with an average depth of only 7 ft., the lake is dotted with islands, and is filled with fishing trawlers, low cargo boats, and small sampans. We will visit Yuántóuzhu (Turtle Head Isle), the peninsula considered to be the lake's most scenic spot. We will have an opportunity to explore the area south of the docks, which features a few pleasant trails.

DAY    10          WUXI - SUZHOU (1 NIGHT)
This morning we will visit the spectacular and massive Lin Shan Giant Buddha, before journeying to Suzhou. This afternoon we begin with a visit to the Lingering Garden, one of the best gardens in Suzhou, as well as being one of the four most famous gardens in China. It is renowned for the artistic way in which the spaces between various kinds of architectural forms are dealt with. Situated outside the Cang Gate of Suzhou city, the garden was built in the 21st year of the reign of Wanli (1583 A.D.) by Xu Taishi, a bureaucrat, as his private garden-residence. Later the garden belonged to the Liu family in the 59th year of the reign of Qianlong (1794 A.D.) and was expanded, repaired, and renamed "the Hanbi Villa", while popularly known as "Liu Garden." In the 12th year of the reign of Tongzhi (1873 A.D.), it was purchased, expanded and repaired by the Shengs, who gave it a new name Lingering Garden. Today the garden is separated into the eastern, central, northern and western parts. The central part features a man-made mountain and lakeside scene, resembling a long scroll of traditional Chinese painting; the eastern part is noted for its joyous groupings of garden courts and elegant buildings; the western part is known for the enchantment of woody hills; and the northern part for cottages with bamboo fences and idyllic scenes.

DAY    11          SUZHOU - SHANGHAI (2 NIGHTS)
Our morning begins with a visit to a local Silk Factory, to view how the magnificent silk products of China are made. Our day continues to Shanghai, where we will take a Huangpu River Cruise, which is one of the best ways to see both old and new Shanghai. As we sail down the river towards the East Sea, we will enjoy the views of the full sweep of the Bund and the 21st century cityscape of Pudong, as well as the futuristic Yangpu Bridge. Our afternoon concludes with a stroll along Nanjing Road, China's premier shopping street, which starts at the Bund in the east and ends in the west at the junction of Jingan Temple and Yan'an West Street. Today Nanjing Road attracts fashion-seeking shoppers from all over the world and features over 600 businesses with countless famous brands, superior quality, and new fashions. In addition, to the traditional stores, specialty shops still provide choice silk goods, jade, embroidery, wool, and clocks, and open-air bars, abstract sculptures, and lingering sounds from street musicians make this a memorable experience.

DAY    12          SHANGHAI
This morning we will visit the Jin Mào Tower, the tallest building in China. Built in 1998 as a Sino-American joint venture, the Jin Mào is currently the third tallest building in the world 1,379 ft. Blending traditional Chinese and modern Western tower designs, the building, which boasts 88 floors, consists of 13 distinct tapering segments, with high-tech steel bands binding the glass like an exoskeleton. We will take a high-speed elevator from Level B1 to the top in less than 45 seconds, where we will enjoy magnificent views from the public observation deck on the 88th floor, known as "The Skywalk." Our day continues with a visit to the Shanghai Museum, one of the most important museums in China with 11 state-of-the-art galleries and three special exhibition halls arranged on four floors, all encircling a spacious cylindrical atrium. The exhibits feature over 120,000 historic artifacts. The museum is arranged by theme rather than by dynasty, and include: the Ancient Chinese Bronze Gallery, which boasts a marvelous collection of over 400 bronzes from the 18th to the 3rd centuries BC; the Ancient Chinese Sculpture Gallery, with sculptures spanning the Warring States period to the Míng Dynasty; the Painting Gallery, with many ancient original art works on silk scrolls, including landscapes from the Míng Dynasty and Buddhist scrolls from the Táng and Sòng dynasties; and the magnificent Jade Gallery, with intricately carved jade wine vessels, jewelry, and ornaments. Ceramics, coins, Calligraphy seals and furniture are also represented in separate galleries. We continue with a visit to the Jade Buddha Temple, built in 1918. The temple is famous for its jade Buddha statues which are pure white and elegant. The construction of pavilions and halls are in the traditional style of the Song dynasty, and it has four halls: the Hall of the Heavenly Kings, the Grand Hall, the Reclining Buddha Hall and the Jade Buddha Chamber. This evening we will enjoy a Banquet Dinner at Lupolang Restaurant, which has hosted many heads of state, including Bill Clinton.

DAY    13          SHANGHAI - FLIGHT TO BEIJING (1 NIGHT)
This morning we fly back to Beijing. This afternoon we will visit the Beijing Zoo built in 1908 on what was originally the imperial manor in the Ming Dynasty. The zoo features more than 30 halls, over 600 species and a population of over 7,000 wild and rare animals from China and all around the world. Highlights include the monkey hill, the Panda Hall, the lion and tiger hill and the elephant hall, and the newly opened Ocean Hall. (Sightseeing is subject to flight schedule)

DAY    14          DEPARTURE FROM BEIJING
Our enjoyable and rewarding tour will come to an end as our guide accompanies us to the airport for the return flight home.