Imperial China
Publication: Luxury Travel Advisor
Issue: April 2012
This article originally appeared in Luxury Travel Advisor and is reproduced here as part of Imperial Tours’ media and publication archive.
Imperial China
Hope Smith of Born to Travel, an affiliate of Montecito Village Travel, traveled to China with Imperial Tours and shares her story with us.
Hope Smith visiting Jokhang Temple, the religious center of Lhasa.
This was not my first trip to China. I’ve had the pleasure of exploring Beijing and Shanghai before but on my most recent adventure that I took with Imperial Tours (www.imperialtours.net), I was privileged to discover the rich culture and history of less-known parts of the country—Huangshan, Hongcun, Hangzhou, Chengdu and Lhasa. While China continues to reinvent itself, embracing its energy and creativity for the future, it was important for me to find a balance between this “new world vision” and the ancient China I hold dear to my heart—and that tells a fascinating story for travelers of all ages.
After spending a few days in Shanghai for fantastic shopping and cuisine, Imperial Tours took us to Huangshan, home of ultra-scenic Yellow Mountain. I was mesmerized by the cloud-shrouded granite peaks as I climbed through the mist, high into the sky by a cable car. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Yellow Mountain is the inspiration for the typical granite peaks you see in many Chinese paintings. Trekking up Yellow Mountain is not difficult but there is an option of the cable car (like I took). We stayed at the Pine Golf Hotel, the best choice in the area, and it perfectly met our needs during our brief visit. The hotel is not on the mountain—it is conveniently located nearby and offers the best quality and value as compared to the mountain-based properties.
My main interest in coming to this part of China was to explore the different villages, particularly Hongcun, near the southwestern slope of Yellow Mountain. When we arrived, art students were there for the day to paint the scenery since the buildings, bridges and canals are excellent examples of traditional Ming Dynasty architecture. Hongcun was featured in films like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and has also been the setting for others such as Ju Dou by China’s famous director Zhang Yimou. Wandering around the narrow streets of this ancient village is a lovely way to spend some time. Our lunch here was one of my favorites! We dined on the patio of a home where the owner brought out numerous savory dishes for us to try—it was a dream of amazing vegetables simply prepared to showcase the food’s natural flavors.
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