Day 2
Beijing
After breakfast this morning, there will be a short briefing when you can get to know other members of your group. Your sightseeing tour in Beijing will start from the magnificent Tiananmen Square, the largest city square in the world and considered to be the political center of China. Within walking distance, you reach the Forbidden City, world-famous for its imperial history as the home and office for emperors during Ming and Qing dynasties (1368 – 1911 AD). You will step into a sacred compound, where everything must conform to dreadfully strict standards, from the selection of materials of its floor tiles to how a servant served her master. For example, it’s said the maids couldn’t sleep or walk casually at night, to make sure they were near at hand in case their bosses needed them; most terribly, they couldn’t answer the call of nature freely!
★ Join us to visit the treasure house in Forbidden City
In the northeast of the Forbidden City lies the Treasure Gallery. As its name implies, it exhibits the most extravagant side of ancient palace life, represented by a 2m tall, 5,000 kilo jade sculpture, depicting a Chinese ancestor controlling the flood. With us, you get to step into this treasure house and appreciate this giant jade sculpture, along with other treasures including lifelike potted landscapes, all made of precious gemstones.
You will enjoy an a la carte welcome lunch meal (valued at CNY150.00 per person and included in our price) at a quality restaurant at midday, where the famous Peking Roast Duck – a cultural symbol of both Beijing and China - is also served. Remember to eat the duck with refreshing scallions and cucumber, if you don’t want to fill your mouth with too much fat.
After lunch, we visit Yonghe Temple, or Harmony and Peace Palace Lamasery, the center for the Qing government to preside over state affairs concerning Tibetan Buddhism. Then we head to the ancient Temple of Heaven. As the place for Ming and Qing emperors to pray for bumper harvests, its majestic main buildings, with blue-tiled roofs symbolizing Heaven, will surely impress you.
This evening, you will be surprised with a special treat – we will take you to a prestigious local theater to appreciate Peking Opera. As a cultural bridge that connects China and the world, it’s a special drama form that can go beyond the limit of language and be understood through appearance and movements of the artists. That is, to be a Peking Opera artist, you have to be not only a singer, but a dancer, an actor, perhaps even a martial artist, as there are often acrobatics in fight scenes. Facial makeup and costumes also contribute to your understanding of a certain character. Today, we will give you a chance to see how the artists put up heavy colorful makeup before their shows start. Afterwards, we will take you back to your hotel.
Meals: Western buffet breakfast, A la carte welcome lunch
