China Ceramics Tour

Day 01 Beijing

Arrive in Beijing, the capital of China. You are greeted by your guide at the airport outside the luggage claim area with your name displayed and then transferred to the hotel for rest.

Day 02 Beijing (B)

Get up early today and meet our guide at your hotel lobby. Your first visit is the Temple of Heaven Park, which is the largest ancient imperial worship architecture group in the world where most Emperors of Ming and Qing Dynasties prayed for peace and harvest. Then stroll the Tian'anmen Square, the largest public square in the world, and then enter the Forbidden City, which is the residence of Chinese emperors for more than 500 years.

Day 03 Beijing (B)

Meet your guide at your hotel and then take private tour to Badaling Section of the Great Wall.  Upon arriving at the Badaling Great Wall, you can either take cable car (optional cost) uphill or hike along the stairs on the wall. You may spend 2-3 hours on the symbol of the Chinese ancient civilization. Then you will visit the Summer Palace, one of the China's largest and best-preserved imperial gardens. It is a masterpiece of Chinese landscape garden design, integrating the natural landscape of hills and open water with man-made features into a harmonious and aesthetically exceptional whole.

Day 04 Beijing / Quyang / Shijiazhuang (B)

After breakfast, travel for about 4 hours to Quyang (Hebei Province), the home for the famous "Dingyao Ceramics" that represented the highest white ceramics making level in Northern China. Upon arrival, visit the ancient kiln site that is regarded as the most well-preserved in present China. Continue the visit to Quyang Ding Ceramics Co., Ltd where you can view the reproduction of the famous "Dingyao Ceramics" in the traditional way. Then travel for about 1.5 hours to Shijiazhuan, the capital city of Hebei province. Check into the hotel and rest.

Day 5 Shijiazhuang / Zhengzhou (B)

In the morning, take high-speed train to Zhengzhou. Upon arrival, check into the hotel. Then visit the Henan Provincial Museum with a well-displayed ceramics collection, where you learn of the ancient cultures.

Day 6 Zhengzhou / Yuzhou / Zhengzhou (B)

After breakfast, travel for about 2 hours to Yuzhou, the birth place of the famous "Junyao Ceramics" that are regarded as one of the most ceramics by Chinese people. Upon arrival, visit the Jun Yao Ceramics Research Institute and find out the production techniques of the famous Jun porcelain. In the afternoon, visit two Qing Dynasty "Hui Guan" (merchant's associations). These "Huanguang" were built in ancient Chinese temple style and used to the places for the merchants to stay and congregate in Yuzhou on trading trips. Travel back to Zhengzhou by coach.

Day 7 Zhengzhou / Xian (B)

Transfer to the railway station and catch the high-speed train to Xian. Upon arrival, visit the City Wall built in the Ming dynasty, one of the oldest and best preserved ancient Chinese city walls. The wall is 14 kilometers long. Walk on the top of it, you can have an idea of medieval defense system composed of by watchtowers, ramparts and a moat. Contrasting the old from its inside are the modern high-rises and bustling traffic of Xian. Cross the street and walk to the Muslim quarter. You will visit the mosque at Daxuexixiang. After that, enjoy your shopping time at the Muslim Street which is lined with shops selling souvenirs and local snacks.,

Day 9 Xian (B)

After breakfast, you will take an express bus to Lintong, the place where The Terracotta Army and the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor was discovered. The Terracotta Warriors are the most significant archeological excavations of the 20th century. There are more than 8,000 life-size Terra-cotta soldiers and horses excavated from this area which all displayed in the practical battle formation in 3 pits respectively. In the late afternoon, travel back to your hotel.

Day 10 Xian / Tongchuan / Xian (B)

After breakfast, travel for two hours to Tongchuan by coach and visit the famous "Yaozhou Ceramics" Museum that is the largest among its kinds in China. "Yaozhou Ceramics" are the masterpieces of Northern China ceramics. After the visit, travel back to Xian. Enroute, visit the newly-opened Han Yangling Mausoleum. Get back to the hotel and rest.

Day 11 Xian / Nanchang / Jingdezhen (B)

Fly to Nanchang, the capital city of Jiangxi Province in the morning. Upon arrival, transfer to Jingdezhen, the ceramic-making center in China after Yuan Dynasty. After checking into the hotel, visit Imperial Porcelain Kiln Site, Ceramic Art Museum and Ancient Porcelain Factory.

Day 12 Jingdezhen (B)

After breakfast, visit Jingdezhen International Ceramic Art and Design Center, (historically famous Hutian Kiln Site remains), Provincial Ceramic Research Institute, Sanbaopen Water Driven Stamp Mill and Gaoling Mountain (original Kaolin Mine near the village of Gaoling). In China, the name "Gaoling" for centuries has been the term for the clay of porcelains.

Day 13 Jingdezhen / Shanghai (B)

In the morning, transfer to the train station and take the highs-speed train to Shanghai. Upon arrival, start the city tour to Yu Garden, the best preserved ancient Chinese garden. There are many small-commodities like handicrafts and clothes, and you can explore the sale market around all by yourself and enjoy the fun of shopping. Then travel to the Bund, appreciating the splendid Bund western buildings and the Lujiazui skylines on the other side of the Huangpu River. At the end of the tour, spend some time on the No. 1 shopping street in the country-East Nanjing Road. Transfer back to your hotel for rest.

Day 14 Shanghai (B)

Enjoy a leisurely morning. In the afternoon, visit the fabulous Shanghai Museum and appreciate the beauties of the well-displayed ceramics. Shanghai Museum is the first museum in China that meets international exhibition standard. It is in the possession of a collection of 123,000 cultural artifacts in 21 categories.

Day 15 Shanghai (B)

Today you will be transferred to the airport for your homeward flight.