12 Day Buddhist Culture and Tibetan Civilization

- Short Hutong Tour in Xicheng District: Hutong, or old alleys, is the best place to observe the tradition of old Beijing. By taking a Hutong tour, visitors can ride a rickshaw that goes through the winding Hutongs, visit a local family in their courtyard house, talk to Beijingers and get to see how life goes on within these traditional architectures.
- Treasure Houses: Treasure house has undergone 4 time renovations, the present one takes up almost 220 square metres, more than 440 treasures on display belonged to Qing dynasty royalty, half of which have not never been on display in the old one. It's worthy of visiting.
- Tiananmen Square: Located in the center of Beijing City, it is the largest city square in the world. It is surrounded by many magnificent buildings, such as national museums, People's Hall, and Memorial Hall of Chairman Mao.
- The Forbidden City: The Imperial Palace was once home to 24 emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, from 1420 till 1911.Its construction began in 1406 and completed in 1420. It is the world's largest and best preserved ancient complex of wooden architecture. In 1987, it was enrolled as a "World Chutural Heritage" by the UNESCO.
- Beijing Ba guo bu yi Restaurant: Ba Guo Bu Yi is located in Xizhimen next to the Beijing Youth Palace at No. 68 Nanxiao Road. It serves some of the heartiest and most authentic Sichuan fare in town with its traditional Chinese style decorations. Favorite dishes include mapo dofu (tofu braised in chili oil with brown peppers), dandan noodles in spicy peanut-sesame-garlic sauce, lazi jiding (chicken smothered by chilies), steamed fish served with chili-oil sauce and huiguorou (twice-cooked pork).

- The Mutianyu Great Wall(with round way cable car): This section of the Great Wall is less-crowded than Badaling. It is about 2.5 hours from Beijing city center. Cables car is available to take visitors to a good section and enjoy superb views from its watch towers. You can either walk back down or choose to descend in a chairlift. Good walking shoes and protection from weather is advisable.
- Temple of Heaven: Built in 1420, the Temple of Heaven covers an area of 2.72 million square meters,even bigger than the Imperial Palace. Most of the buildings are located along the central axis from south to north. This is where ancient emperors used to hold sacrificial ceremonies and pray for bumper harvests for his people.
- Xin Shuang Quan Restaurant: Xin Shuang Quan Restaurant is near Great Wall of Mutianyu section. This garden style restaurant serves farmhouse dishes, specializing in rainbow trout, sturgeon and salmon. Its use of natural ingredients and fabulous taste will leave you with great memories.

- Summer Palace: Much-loved summer retreat of the Imperial families, the lovely landscaped gardens, halls, pavilions and corridors are set around the lake and rivers in natural harmony. You can expect to spend 2-3 hours here. Renovations (complete in 2010) mean that an individual section or building may be closed at any one time, but this is a huge site. Wear good walking shoes and protection from the weather.
- The Garden of Virtue and Harmony: This garden was built as a theater for the Empress Dowager. Its construction began in the 17th year of Emperor Guangxu's reign (1891) and lasted for five years. The three-storey theater stage is the biggest and best-preserved wooden stage of delicate design and magnificent structure, and is therefore of much scientific and artistic value. Famous Beijing Opera actors of the Qing Dynasty such as Yang Xiaolou and Tan Xinpei would come here to perform for the Empress Dowager and the stage was regarded as the"Cradle of Beijing Opera". The Empress Dowager also granted special permission for some of the princes, dukes and cabinet ministers to watch Beijing opera here.
- Lama Temple: Yonghe Lamasery has a history of more than 300 years, and it is the largest Tibetan Buddhist lamasery outside of Tibet. Here you will see the world's largest wooden statue of Buddha and numerous Tibetan Buddhist collections. Yonghe Lamasery is very popular among local people, many people come to worship the Buddha and pray for good luck.
- Xibei Restaurant: Xibei Restaurant brings Chinese North western cuisines to Beijing with cultures from Manchus, Mongolians, Chinese muslims and Hans.

- The Terracotta Warriors and Horses : It is one of the "Eight Wonders of the World". Over 7000 life-size soliders, chariots, horses as well as other archeological relics have been buried in this impeiral tomb since 210 BC, till they were accidentally discovered in 1974. Here you can also watch a film introducing the history of this vault. It is advisable to wear comfortable walking shoes.
- Big Wild Goose Pagoda: It has become the symbol of Xi'an City since its construction in 652. The pagoda is about 64 meters tall, and it was built to house Buddhist sutras and figurines that Monk Xuanzang brought back from India. Ci'en Temple at the foot of the pagoda has several Buddhist halls and statues that are worth visiting.
- Xian City Wall with Bicycle: The City Wall is the oldest and best preserved city wall in China, and it divides the city into inner and outer parts. It is 25.7 kilometers long and encircles the inner city. Biking on the City Wall is a pleasant experience to enjoy the view and its former glory.

- Mogao Grottoes: Also known as "Thousand-Buddha Caves", it is one of China's three famous ancient sculptural sites. The construction began in 366 AD, and it contains some of the finest examples of ancient Buddhist art. The caves were carved out of sandstorm cliffs, and stretch 1600 kilometers from north to south.
- The Crescent Lake and Echoing-Sand Mountain: The Echoing-Sand Mountain is a sand crusted hill with singing sand phenomenon on sunny days. The crescent moon lake is situated between two large sand dunes, forming an oasis in the desert.

- White Pagoda Mountain: The White Pagoda Hill is located at the northern bank of the Yellow River. It was named after the white pagoda on top of the hill. It was said that the pagoda was built in honor of a well-known Tibetan Lama who died of an illness in Lanzhou on his way to meet the founder of the Yuan Dynasty. Now the White Pagoda Park covers an area of more than 8,000 square meters. There are some special features waiting to be explored.
- Waterwheel Garden: The huge old waterwheel, originated from Ming Dynasty, is used to irrigate the fields along the Yellow River in ancient times in Lanzhou. The Waterwheel Garden, which is also known as 'Heaven Wheel', is built in honor of the old irrigative tool. It will be a thrilling experience for the visitors to tour the Waterwheel Garden to see the replica of the old irrigation system.
- Green Corridor along Binhe Road: It is located at the Binhe Road, Lanzhou

Lanzhou city nestles into a narrow valley, sandwiched in the south and north moutains, with the Yellow River running through the city proper at the foot of Jiuzhou Mountain.The Binhelu Road at the southern bank of the Yellow River is known as the “green corridor” and extends for some ten km from west to east with numerous flower gardens and small parks scattered along the road. It is believed to be one of the longest roads along the river banks in China.
- Zhongshan Iron Bridge: Zhongshan Iron Bridge is known as the first bridge on the Yellow River under the heaven. It was built in the Qing Dynasty and has a history of more than 100 years.
- Quanshunlou Restaurant: Quanshunlou Restaurant specializes in pasta and roast mutton cooked in the north western style.

- Nine Scenery-view Stations on the Way: There are 45 stations along the 1972 km long Qinghai-Tibet railway from Xining to Lhasa and every station has unique scenery. To provide travelers better opportunity to enjoy the stunningly beautiful scenery on that way, nine scenery viewing platforms have been set up at nine stations. These include: Yuzhu Peak Station, Chumaer River. Tuotuo river, Buqiangge, Tanggula Mountain, Lake Namtso, Nagqu, Damshung, Yambajan. The platform is around 500-meter long and 1.25 meters high. On the platform, visitors can enjoy the views around that area and take photos. The authority has scheduled the trains so that passengers will be able to make use of the viewing platforms during daytime.

- Potala Palace: Built in the seventh century, Potala Palace was the former winter home of Dalai Lamas. Today it served as a huge museum that houses and exhibits precious materials and articles of the history, arts, religion and culture of Tibet.
- Sera Monastery: Sera Monastery is one of the three greatest monasteries in Tibet. It is grand in scale, with an area of 114,964 square meters. It is the venue where monks hold daily debates.
- Barkhor Street: It is the oldest street in Lhasa with colorful Tibetan features. Varieties of commodities are sold here and present to you all aspects of Tibetan life. You will also see pilgrims from different places of Tibet with praying wheels circling around the Jokhang Monastery.
- Original Crazy Yak Restaurant: Crazy Yak Restaurant is located in the city center near Potala Palace. It mainly provides a Tibetan buffet, Chinese dishes and Western style cuisine, it also serves as a casual bar as well. Decorated in Tibetan style of architecture, it has live performances at night.

- Drepung Monastery: Located 5 kilometers from Lhasa city center, Trepung Monastery is the largest monastery in Tibet. It was founded in 1416. Its white grand buildings makes a contrast under the sunlight against the black mountain at its back.
- Yomdrok Lake: With a length of 72 kilometers, Yamdrok Lake is one of the three largest sacred lakes in Tibet. It is surrounded by snow-capped mountains. In Tibetan mythology, the lake is the transformation of goddess.