Lingyin Temple, or the Temple of Inspired Seclusion, was founded in 326 AD by the Indian monk, Hui Li. It quickly became a center of worship for the Chan (Zen) Buddist sect, and once served as home to more than three thousand monks. During its turbulent history the temple has been destroyed and then restored no less than sixteen times with the current structures dating to the late Qing dynasty (1644-1911). Before reaching the temple however,  » Read more »

Day One  Hangzhou is a city whose reputation for beauty is encapsulated by a famous Chinese couplet: "In heaven there is paradise, On earth there is Hangzhou and Suzhou". You will arrive at your hotel situated by the famous West Lake. Depending on what time you arrive, you may wish to take a stroll around the lake or have a meal, sampling some of the local casserole and seafood delicacies.  » Read more »

As you stroll through the caves in Guangxi province, you might ponder on their formation and try to spot some of their intriguing features. Formation The life-span of a solution cave can be split into three phases: (i) Initiation phase: groundwater seeps slowly through cracks and fractures in the limestone bedding planes. Over 3,000 to 10,000 years are needed to turn one such fracture to a pencil-sized opening of 5 to 10 mm wide.  » Read more »

"They were the oddest hills in the world, and the most Chinese, because these are the hills that are depicted in every Chinese scroll. It is almost a sacred landscape – it is certainly an emblematic one." Paul Theroux, Riding the Iron Rooster, 1988 When looking at a Chinese painting, most visitors will remark upon the enormous differences from Western painting tradition. Foremost among the differences are the use of ink and silk paper as opposed to oil and canvas,  » Read more »

Day One  Arrive at the Hotel of Modern Art and enjoy a relaxing meal or a stroll through the tiny, pedestrian streets of Yangshuo village. (Hotel of Modern Art – Deluxe Room) (D)   Day Two  In the morning we will take a relaxing boat-ride along a rarely visited stretch of the Li River: fishermen use cormorants to fish, clumbs of bamboo trees line the shores,  » Read more »