TOURSHOTELS

Burma, one of the highlights of my life

Our guides were excellent and met our needs with care. Thank you for all of your help.

Mr.John and Loretta Wortley

An itinerary Just right

We had a great trip. Thank you so much for all the preparation work to get the itinerary just right.

Wrenn Slocum

AMAZING ANHUI: CHINA’S FILMSET

We can tailor this trip to suit your specific requirements

Any aspect of the itinerary can be altered, from excursion to accommodation

OVERVIEW ITINERARY TOUR DETAILS REVIEWS HOTELS

Welcome to Anhui Province, an area of such natural and unchanged beauty that it is often used as the backdrop for Chinese movies that require spectacular scenery of ancient China.

This trip will lead you to the beautiful regions of Xidi and Hongcun, both recognized by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites. In these picturesque towns you will learn about ancient Chinese architecture, as well as the ancient art of penjing and fengshui.

You will have the chance to meet with both a penjing and fengshui master, who will explain their art forms in detail. Your fengshui guide will lead you around Hongcun, a unique village that was constructed using the strict principles of fengshui and is laid out in the shape of a buffalo, complete with two large trees to represent horns and a canal waterway system for intestines.

You’ll also pay visit to the refined region of Chengshitang, an area that was originally constructed by a salt merchant, and the Mukeng Bamboo Forest where the exciting fight scene between Li Mu Bai (Chow Yun-Fat) and Yu Jiao Long (Zhang Ziyi) was set in the Ang Lee movie Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

The trip also includes a trip to Huangshan (Yellow Mountains), ascending by cable-car and spending the night at the summit. In the morning you will have the unique chance to watch the sunrise over the surrounding land as you savor a delicious breakfast then descend to the foot of the mountain and take a dip in the hot spring to rejuvenate, absorbing the water’s medicinal qualities.

THE BACKYARD DIFFERENCE

Visit the summit of Huangshan (also known as Yellow Mountains) and watch the sunrise over Beihai before relaxing at the foot of the mountain in a hot spring
Take a guided bike tour around Xidi and Hongcun, both listed by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites
Spend time in Hongcun, a town built to be shaped like a buffalo, based entirely around the principle of fengshui
Get a true glimpse of Chinese society with an overnight sleeper train experience
Learn about ancient Chinese art of penjing (gardening) from an experienced gardener

ITINERARY HIGHLIGHTS

Shanghai - Tunxi

Tunxi - Xidi

Xidi - Huangshan

Huangshan - Shanghai

Day 1

Shanghai - Tunxi

Nihao and welcome to Chinese cinema’s beautiful film set!

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Overnight in train compartment

Meals included on this day: Dinner

Day 2

Tunxi - Xidi

In the morning you will awaken in Tunxi where you will be met by your guide at the station as you arrive, who will then escort you to Wannan.

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Wannan is a region of fascination due in part to the local architecture that has sprung up as a result of the influx of tourists to the region. Anhui developed an effective commercial network in part due to its proximity to the Xinnan River and its fertile land. The river allowed an easy export route to transport tea, bamboo, salt, and wood easily to the east coast and allowed some local merchants to amass sizeable fortunes during the Ming and Qing Dynasties.

Three main characteristics of the local architecture still remain: the exterior walls which have been chalked white, the black tile roofs with superbly sculpted gables, the tianjing (which literally means ‘mirrors to heaven’) – indoor courtyards lit by skylights, and finally the paifang, commemorative arches dedicated to the most successful candidates from the Imperial exams.

Your exploration of the region will begin with a bike ride through some of the most beautiful and picturesque villages in China, including Xidi and Hongcun which are listed by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites. Over the course of today and tomorrow, while visiting this area you will learn about fengshui (which when translated literally means ‘wind’ and ‘water’), also known as ‘geomancy’.

Your first stop will take you to Xidi, which is known for its three-level paifang (archway) at the entrance to the village which pays tribute to a member of the village clan who became a scholar. Xidi is also notable for having the largest number of merchants’ houses, whose sculpted wooden paneling is particularly attractive. These houses have been immortalized by the tireless work of students of fine art and photography enthusiasts.

The final stop of the day brings you to Nanping, which boasts 500-year-old houses and is one of the best examples of an ancestral hall in the region, the Ye Family Ancestral Hall. A visit here will give you an insight into ancestor-worship, a fundamental practice of Chinese culture that has endured to this day.

After you return your bikes you will then be free to spend your evening exploring Xidi further by foot around the moonlit streets, or simply take a well-earned rest and get a good night’s sleep!

Overnight in Xidi

Meals included on this day: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3

Xidi - Huangshan

Hongcun is one of the best original examples of the application of fengshui in China and after your hearty breakfast it will be your first stop of the day.

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Overnight in Huangshan

Meals included on this day: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4

Huangshan - Shanghai

Huangshan (also known as Yellow Mountains) has been a source of inspiration for many Chinese artists throughout the centuries and takes its name from an ancient tradition whereby each mountain was named after its most famous visitor. In the case of Huangshan, this was the Yellow Emperor (or in Chinese Huangdi), one of the founding fathers of Chinese civilisation who lived in the 3^rd century BC. According to legend he was the inventor of fengshui.

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