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QiGong Study Tour
"This trip may only last for fifteen days, but the beautiful mountain scenery and the knowlege of QiGong to better your health will last for a lifetime."
When talking about QiGong, Chinese religion often come up because the Chinese monks and Taoists also practice QiGong and cultivate as part of their religious practice. However, practicing QiGong does not necessarily mean that you are practicing or taking part in that particular religion.
Combining ancient China QiGong and modern western medicine science and technology.
For thousands of years Yellow Mountains has been regarded as a natural wonder in China landscape. You will learn Chinese culture and you will return home with unforgettable mountain scenery at Yellow Mountains and Taoist Mount QiYun .
In a beautiful lakeside resort for ten days, you learn how to live Better and live Longer with Chinese Qigong.
- Improve your health with Qi (vital energy ) training.
- Relieve stress with simple beathing techniques.
- Learn the secrets that will advance your practice.
- Discover the foundations of Chinese medicine.
- Eliminate tension with soothing relaxation exercises.
QiGong training can improve your heath, cure illness, and help you overcome the stress of daily living. QiGong is the study of Qi, or vital energy, that circulates in the human body and it has been practiced by the Chinese for thousands of years. QiGong is unique and comprehensive approach to health and longevity, and can be trained by anyone. Get the most from your practice by understanding the principles and foundations of this ancient science.
COST: US$1,999 per person (land only)
*** Single Room Supplement is US$400 ***
Included in the cost of the tour:
Not included:
According to the Law of the People's Republic of China Concerning the Administration of Foreigners Entering and Leaving the Country, foreign tourists must apply for visas at China's foreign affairs offices, consulates or other organizations authorized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
You may obtain further information at the Web site: http://www.chinaembassycanada.org
The location of the Chinese embassy in Canada is in Ottawa; Chinese consulates are in Calgary, Toronto, and Vancouver
In USA the website address : http://www.china-embassy.org
( Clients with any other travel arrangements
must coordinate an afternoon arrival at Shanghai )
June 16 to 30, 2003
November 17 to December 1, 2003
Pour encourager le développement des relations entre le Québec et la Chine
This trip starts and ends in Shanghai.
NOTE: Since we are paying a group fare to travel in China, there will be no refunds after the date of 60 days before departure.
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Mt. Huangshan : a Marvel of Natural Beauty
Located in the southern part of Anhui Province, the Yellow Mountains extend across - Shexian, Yixian, Taiping and Xiuning. They rose above the earth surface as a result of movement of the earth's crust over a hundred million years ago. Later they underwent the erosion of Quaternary glaciation and have gradually become what they are today. Magnificent and imposing, it is a famous scenic spot full of wonderful sights. The Yellow Mountains known as Yishan in the Qin Dynasty (221 -207 B.C.) got their present name in 747 A.D. (the 6th year of the Tianbao reign of the Tang Dynasty), when Li Bai (701 -762), the great Tang poet, wrote about them in these lines: Thousands of feet high towers the Yellow Mountains With its thirty-two magnificent peaks, Blooming like golden lotus flowers. Amidst red crags and rock columns. The Yellow Mountains are a marvel within an area of 154 square kilometres there is a crowd of peaks, 72 of which have names indicating the shapes they resemble. Lotus Brightness Apex and Celestial Capital are the three major ones, all rising above 1,800 metres. The mountains are a body of granite, often with vertical joints. Erosion and fracture contributed to shape the rocks into huge columns giving rise to lofty peaks and deep ravines. When it is cloudy the pinnacles loom in mists as if they were visionary, while in sunshine they unfold in all their majesty and splendour. The Yellow Mountains change their colour and appearance with the alternation of seasons. In spring blooming flowers decorate the slopes in a riot of colour and fill the valleys with fragrance, in summer you see verdured peaks rising one upon another and near springs gurgling merrily. Autumn dresses the mountains in red and purple, as maples are all blazing - red; winter turns them into a world of frost and ice with silver boughs and rocks everywhere. So from ancient times it has been frequented by tourists seeking their mystery and admiring their scenery. They come to the conclusion that the fantastic pines, the grotesque rocks, the sea of clouds and the hot springs are the four major attractions of the Yellow Mountains. As a matter of fact there are marvels almost everywhere especially in the following scenic areas: Wenguan (Hot Spring), Yupinglou (Jade Screen Tower), Xihai (West Sea), Beihai (North Sea), Yungusi (Cloud Valley Temple) and Songguan (Pine Valley Nunnery).
Owing to the peculiar terrain, the Yellow Mountains' climate is marked by a vertical change, and the vertical distribution of vegetation is also distinctive: plants on the summit, on the middle levels and at the foot belong to the frigid, temperate and subtropical zones respectively. There are more than 1500 species of plants, of which trees comprise one third. So the Yellow Mountains occupy an important place in China's botanical research. Here you will find century-old pines, firs ginkgoes, Chinese torreyas, Chinese sweet gums, nanmus, camphorwoods and the precious Magua trees, remnants of the glacial era. The Yellow Mountains abound in flowering plants; many of them are rare ones, such as Goddess Flower, the Yellow Mountains Azalea as well as camellia, plum, lily crape myrtle, orchid, Spring Herald Ina Flower and so on. It has a rich store of medicinal herbs; more than 300 kinds are found here, the notable ones being glossy ganoderma, ginseng, Chinese goldthread rhizome and Chinese cinnamon. Maofeng tea of the Yellow Mountains is well known at home and abroad.
The Yellow Mountains also provide the natural habitat for a wide variety of fauna. Among the animals there are monkeys, goats, deer and David's deer. There are rare birds such as the red - billed leiothrix, the silver pheasant, the octave-tone bird and the oriole, all good singers. The red-billed leiothrix (called ''love birds'' in Chinese) are so lovely that they have become favorites of foreign tourists and are exported by pairs. Besides, chukkas from the streams is good to make delicious dishes with. The temperature in Yellow Mountains is agreeable all the year round. It is cool in summer, averaging 20C?at the North Sea Guest-house (1,630 metres above sea) and 25C at Hot Spring (630 metres above sea) in July (the hottest month) . As clouds often shut out the sun, hot weather never stays long, and this makes Yellow Mountains an ideal summer resort. Though looking fresh and young, Yellow Mountains have a long history to which ancient books, poems and paintings as well as carved inscriptions all bear witness. Today, through government care, Yellow Mountains' scenic spots have been renovated and opened to tourists. A longest telpher in the Asia Area at present has been built from the Cloud Valley Temple in the mountains to the White Goose Ridge on the top mountains. The mountain paths which used to be dangerous have been repaired and widened, with a total length of more than 50 kilometers. Guesthouses, pavilions and other buildings have sprung up one after another. High-tension lines have been extended to the summit of peaks and a weather station erected on the Brightness Apex.
The eastwards blue line one sees on the tourist map of Huangshan City indicates the XinAn River which originated from Huaiyu Mountain in Xiuning County. The brook expands as it rolls down, joining the Hengjiang River at Tunxi. Here, it becomes the 200 kilometer long gently fIowing XinAn River. Sailing on the river, one sees houses of Hui style with white wall and gray tiles here and there on both sides. The fir, bamboo, tea bushes, loquat and orange forests on the hills extend as far as you can see, displaying a charming water landscape in southern China. The XinAn River is a major waterway of vital importance to the local economy, shipping out timber and local agricultural products and transporting in salt and manufactured goods. Tunxi, Yuliang Town and Shendu in Shexian County along the river used to be bustling river ports in the old days. There is still in Yuliang Town a one kilometer long Old Street which used to be the marketplace. There are numerous scenic spots along the XinAn River. At Bingtan which is close to the river source, there is the mausoleum of Wang Youdun, an imperial minister in the Qing Dynasty who was a native of Xiuning. Standing around the mausoleum are carved stone human figures, horses, tigers, sheep and lions with graphic features. In Tunxi and Shexian County, the river embraces ancient pavilions and bridges as well as clusters of lakes. Further down the river, one can see the busy rural and urban scenes. On the lower reaches of the XinAn River there is the pearl-like Qiandao Lake. It has never failed to impress the visitors with its breathtaking beauty. The travel route from the West Lake in Hangzhou to Qiandao Lake, Shexian and and finally to Huangshan has become a hot tourist line. Taiping Lake. As a deep water lake, Taiping Lake is situated between the Yellow Mountains and Mount Jiuhua. It extends 80 kilometers from east to west, which is roughly the same distance down the Li River from Guilin to Yangsuo, and covers an area of about 100 square kilometers. In addition to tour yachts, one can also take a black awning boat, a fishing boat or even a bamboo raft to enjoy the lake scene. The lake is clear and tranquil all the year round. The famous Peach Blossom Pool is located at the Wan Village on the lakeside. The famous Tang Dynasty poet Li Bai once toured the lake and wrote a poem in appreciation of the hospitality 0f Wang Lun, his host (the poem is well recited today). Later, the villagers built a pavilion in memory of the great poet, which still stands. One scene in the TV series of the classical Chinese novel, the Dream of the Red Mansion, was shot here at the lakeside. Vast as the lake is, scenic spots still abound, such as the group of isles in the lake known as the 18 Immortals on Jiaoshan Hill near the lake. Tourist facilities such as holiday resorts, amusement ground, shops and swimming pools are open to public, especially to holiday seekers. And there in nothing more relaxing than drifting in a raft or boat or going angling on the lake.
The rare species of trees include East China yellow fir, red bean fir, sanjian fir, gold coin pine, China catalpa, magua wood, pearl yellow poplar, Yellow Mountain plum, etc. East China yellow fir is an endangered species of the Cretaceous period. There is now only one standing near the Cloud Valley Temple in the Yellow Mountains. Yet here in the reserve one finds large tracts 0f them. Arrow bamboo, which is the main diet of panda, is also found here. Rare animals such as Maoguan deer, zibeline, golden cat, Summon antelope, macaque and black musk wander freely in the reserve. In addition to enjoying the beauty of the nature, visitors also have the opportunity to appreciate the distinctive local culture with its renowned architecture, carving, painting, epigraphy, lacquer making, calligraphy, pottery art, potted landscape, bamboo weaving as well as local opera and folk songs and dances. The architecture of the region, its economic development, medicine and folklore have become subjects of study, so have the philosophic works of Daizhen, mathematics works of Cheng Dawei and educational articles of Tao Xingzhi who were all natives of this region. The famous local teas such as Qimen black tea, Tunxi green tea, Yellow Mountain Maofeng tea and Taiping Houkui tea as well as Santan loquat, golden dates and local cuisine are all favored by tourists. No one who has visited the Yellow Mountains leaves unimpressed by its fascination.
Tunxi has been one of the most important towns in southern Anhui since ancient times. It lies in the upper reaches of the XinAn River on the vital communications line linking up the provinces of Anhui, Jiangxi and Zhejiang. From Tunxi highways extend to all parts of the country, the Anhui--Jiangxi Railway stretches westward, and airlines lead to Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hefei, Hangzhou and other coastal cities. With all the facilities for travel, Tunxi is also a service center of the Huangshan Tourist Zone. The Ancient Tunxi Street is so antique and quaint that it has been referred to as The Town of the Song Dynasty. And as the street scenes are good for shooting films of ancient stories, Tunxi Town is also regarded as an ideal Film and TV Town . Song Dynasty (1127--1279), began to develop between the Late Yuan (1271--1368) and the early Ming Dynasty (1368--1644), formed a power around mid-Ming, flourished during Jiajing's reign (1522--1567), reached their culmination during Qianlong's reign (1736--1796), and then declined during Jiajing's and Daoguang's reigns (1796--1851). The history of Huizhou merchants covers about 600 years, and for 300 years they dominated the region. They occupy a significant place in the history of Chinese commerce. In the Southern Song Dynasty, as the capital was moved from Kaifeng to Lin' an (now Hangzhou), the political and economic center shifted to the South. This stimulated the economy of the neighboring areas to develop, and then the Central Plains culture was introduced to the South. Huizhou was situated in an important place between Jiangsu and Zhejiang Provinces. It was significant to the economy of southeastern China as a communication hub between the South and the North. As a result of Huizhou' s particular geographical conditions and the need to develop economically, landowners began to take up business. At the beginning of the Southern Song Dynasty, according to records, Huizhou people were engaged in trade everywhere , selling tea, ink, paper and wood. After JiaJing' s reign in the Ming Dynasty, the number of traders amounted to 70? of the total Huizhou population. As the saying goes, It is a Huizhou practice that thirteen year-olds start their career in town and at seventeen they do business all over the country . Usually at the age of 12 or 13, Huizhou children began to work as apprentices in town. The shortage of land and the superfluity of manpower drove the farmers away from farming. The Ming Dynasty Anhui Chronicle comments, Many Huizhou people take up business, because they have no other choice . Generally they did a small trade, and most of them were under the control of a big business. They were not born merchants. Their success was an outcome of various social factors and their painstaking efforts. The Huizhou Chronicle of the Jiaqing years (1796--1821) describes them as properly dressed, well-spoken , fully aware of prices, knowing when to buy and when to sell, and gaining extra profits from selling local goods at other places . The earliest people who left Huizhou to make a living away from home never suspected that a flourishing Huizhou business would spread almost all over the country , and that Huizhou merchants would gain a national fame. The Huizhou business was almost all-embracing-tea, grain, salt, silk, cloth, wood, paint, paper, ink, pottery, etc., simply anything profitable. They opened teahouses, restaurants, hotels and pawnshops. The salt trade and pawn broking, however, were the most prosperous. It is recorded in Shexian Chronicle-Local Conditions that of all the trades in Shexian, salt, pawn broking, tea and wood are most prosperous, though salt prevailed in the past . The pawn broking in those days was actually usury. Wei Chaofeng, a Huizhou pawnbroker depicted in Fantastic Stories, deprived a scholar of his real estate in three years' time by way of exorbitant rates of interest. By the years of Guangxu's reign (1875--1909), one could hardly find a pawnbroker who was not from Huizhou. There was no place too far for Huizhou merchants to expand . They pressed eastward to the north of Jiangsu, westward to Yunnan, Guizhou, and Gansu, northward to the east and south of Liaoning, and southward to Fujian and Guangdong, and further south they sailed to Japan, Thailand, and other Southeast Asian countries --their footmarks left on almost half of the globe . The resourceful Huizhou merchants were well versed in the expertise of obtaining a position so as to attach themselves to the court. Their strategy was to "provide funds for academic pursuits with business profits, get political positions through academic pursuits, and ensure business profits from the political positions . Therefore, politics and commerce were closely related in Huizhou merchants. Having gained fame and fortune, they returned home in all their glory and went in for large-scale construction, building mansions, ancestral temples, guild-halls, roads and bridges to honor their ancestors and to extend the influence of the clan. They were bent on establishing academies, schools, and examination centers and cultivating feudal intellectuals to consolidate the patriarchal clan system. In the Ming and Qing Dynasties, famous officials and talented scholars came forth in large numbers. According to statistics, between the Song and Qing Dynasties (960--1911), 2, 018 people from five counties (Shexian, Yixian, Xiuning, Qimen, Jixi) were granted the title of Jinshi ( successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations ) after they passed final imperial examinations, which were held every three years and presided over by the emperor; and during the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368--1911), the literary works of 343 people from Shexian County alone were included in Best Poems or Best Essays. There are stories about three successive Jinshis from one place, four hanlins (members of the Imperial Academy) within ten li , "father and son both ministers , "brothers both prime ministers , and three generations of imperially-honored courtiers". With academic studies and etiquette greatly advocated, Huizhou was a cradle for talented scholars who made achievements in various domains. Huizhou culture, enriched with these achievements, displays a splendid view of liberal arts and history.
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