Red lanterns are ubiquitous during Chinese new year In San Francisco red and gold lanterns are strung from lampposts, illuminating rainy days and lending hope for success in the New Year. Chinatown bakeries advertize the best moon cakes in the city, while shops along the main street stock up on poppers and other small fireworks. Wherever you live, Chinese festivals bring a certain sense of mysticism and excitement that have been carried with the culture for years.  » Read more »

China has been a land fueling creativity for thousands of years but there seems to have been a resurgence of interest from the West in Chinese creativity recently. Last year, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and a handful of other museums featured exhibits on Chinese art. In the previous year, The Smithsonian showcased Chinese-American food and this past November The Met documented Chinese fashion and its global impact. Both exhibits noted that Chinese culture has been influencing the West for centuries.  » Read more »

Testing the young Shaolin monk's skills at a private kungfu performance   Trips with children can be challenging both in planning and in execution. Buy they don’t have to be. When done right, they can be one of the most rewarding, memorable and influential of experiences. This June 19th-30th, Imperial Tours is offering a Family Tour of China that focuses on fun for all family members in an environment that offers a look at China’s culture,  » Read more »

Agent Cathy Dorton at the Great Wall during the Nov. 2015 FAM Imperial Tours has been running its innovative China Expert Training Program for travel agents since 2010. A number of agents have graduated as China Experts from our free webinar course run once a year. The four-part webinar series arms you with in-depth information about China covering hotels, tour sites, restaurants, shopping, seasonality, and unique experiences so that you can be confident in selling luxury China to your clients.  » Read more »

  I’m sitting here waiting for the blood moon to peer over the horizon on this day of the Mid-Autumn Festival, also called the Moon Festival. It takes place on the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar and is a celebration of the roundest and brightest moon of the year. It is a time when families come together to give thanks for the harvest. Even those relatives who cannot physically reunite for the festivities can take comfort by looking at the full round moon and knowing that their family members are doing the same.  » Read more »