Dear CCC friends,

All CCC October Holiday Trips have been fully booked except this newly added Tianjin Daytrip, and second group to Ningxia scheduled on Oct.4-6. Make sure you sign up for these short trips during your holiday.

Daytrip: Colonial Architecture Exploration of Tianjin
Sunday, October 3

This is an expert guided tour exploring the old colonial districts and areas where the western and classic Chinese villas still exist. The beautiful renovated Haihe river, the traditional lanes, neighborhood and market will also be visited. >>> more

Ningxia's pyramid & Inner Mongolia Sand Dunes
Oct.4-6

Ningxia's famous sites include Xixia Dynasty Tombs and the earth Ming Great Wall. Then the journey will cross the border into Inner Mongolia desert dunes. Climbing aboard a military truck or jeep and drive up and over the shifting sand dunes. >>> more

Upcoming talks and lectures

Talk: Understanding Buddha & Spiritual Healing
Friday, Sep.24, 19:30-21:30

If you want to enrich your knowledge of Buddhism you must first understand its origin. Who was the Buddha? What was his early life like and why did it change his way of thinking? Join us for the insight into the Buddha by a Buddhist layman >>> more

Lecture: All about Laozi and Philosophical Tao
Saturday, Sep.25, 10:00-11:30

Come hear a talk on the core meaning of Tao and other key concepts from the Taoism masterpiece "Dao De Jing" by the philosopher-sage Lao Zi. The lecture will be conducted in English. >>> more

Peking Opera Workshop
Saturday, Oct.9, 14:00-16:00

CCC will invite professional actors of Peking Opera to introduce you to the history, complexity and subtleties of this famous art form. Selected parts from Peking Operas will be performed to explain movements and gestures and voice adaption. >>> more

Cricket Fighting and Chirping Culture
Saturday, Oct.09, 14:00-16:00

Go to a local pet market and take home a cricket songster to keep you company this fall! The Chinese love crickets! Come hear a talk all about crickets (qu qu & guo guo) and their extravagant containers - villas, and cricket apartments. >>> more

Feng Shui Course
Mondays & Wednesdays, October 11-27, 19:30-21:30

Fengshui Master Lin from Taiwan will give this Fengshui course to CCC friends, from the basic theories of Feng Shui, fengshui your Front Door and Living-room, bedroom and bathroom, to kitchen. He analizes students' own examples and home plan. >>> more

Talk: Peering into the Mystery of I-Ching
Wednesday, October 13, 19:30-21:30

The ancient Book of Changes is known by almost all, yet understood by few. Researcher Ma Ning will provide a basic introduction to the I Ching for a lay audience, with a talk a PPT show that will be conducted in Chinese with English interpretation. >>> more

Talk: Chinese foot-binding
Wednesday, October 13, 10:00-12:00

Nicknamed Gold Lilies, bound feet is symbolic erotic fantasy for men. Foot-binding resulted in lifelong disabilities for most of its victims. The talk explores the history, detailed process of binding feet, and the custom and appeal. >>> more

The Art Of Chinese Astrology - Bazi
Friday, Oct.15, 13:00-14:30

This is a Bazi Destiny demo class and will be in English. "Bazi Destiny also know as The Four Pillars, is the study is on the individual’s destiny, personal characteristics, surrounding circumstances and possible life path. >>> more

Talk: China's Household Register, Social Security & Personal Data Files
Friday, Oct.15, 10:00-12:00

Come hear an expert's talk on China's three fundamental constraints every Chinese people live under either at work or in their everyday life. They still restrict one's housing, job application, welfare and children' s schooling. >>> more

Guqin Music & Poetic Songs
Saturday, October 16, 19:30-21:30

During this special event you will have the opporuntity to experience in very close distance Prof Han's guqin music and listen to a few of his adorable young students perform and sing. Guqin is known for its beautiful and uplifting style of playing. >>> more

Talk: Chinese Goldfish Culture
Sunday, October 17, 14:30-16:00

Goldfish was first domesticated in China more than a thousand years ago. The talk will introduce varieties of domesticated goldfish in China, classification, feeding and behavior, as well as goldfish culture, symbols, goldfish bowl and fengshui. >>> more

Talk: All About Chinese Tea
Wednesday, October 20, 10:00-12:00

The lecture will tell almost everything about Chinese tea, from plant variety, production distribution, tea leaves processing, to major types of tea and differentiation of quality, way of steeping and drinking, tea cups and water. >>> more

Lecture: Three Ways of Zen practise
Wednesday, Oct.20, 19:30-21:30

Our Buddhist layman will teach three ways of Zen meditation, from its origins in India to localized Chinese Chan, and the Tibetan way. You will also experience Zen for yourself, through guided meditations, to achieve a more balanced mind and life. >>> more

Upcoming Out-of-town Tours

Two-day Tour to Datong (Grottoes & Hanging Monastery)
October 9-10

Join this weekend tour to see the second-largest of the nearly 51,000 sandstone statues of Buddha in 53 Yungang grottoes. Buddhist cave art began here in Datong, 160 miles west of Beijing, in the fifth century, by Xianbei minority, which ruled North >>> more

Sichuan's Fairyland Jiuzhaigou & Huanglong
Oct 13-17

Jiuzhaigou Scenic Area and Huanglong Parklands are two famous World Natural Heritage sites. Jiuzhaigou offers spectacular landscapes with alpine features: crystal clear and serene lakes, snow-capped mountains, countless waterfalls and lush forests. >>> more

Pingyao - Raise the red lanterns
Oct 22 eve.-24

Listed as UNESCO Heritage Site, this exotic ancient city and city walls bring you back to the history and the atmosphere and environment like the Europeans back to the Middle Age Europe, and the awesome walls and carvings of the Wang Family Residence >>> more

Hunan's Zhangjiajie National Forest Park
Oct 22-24

Listed as UNESCO's World Heritage Site in 1992, this scenic area is made up of three adjoining subtropical parklands, with quartzite sandstone peaks and pillars to rival Guilin's scenery. There are stunning views through bamboo, pine, and oak forest. >>> more

Xi'an (Terrecotta Warriors) & Luoyang (Grottos & Shaolin Temple)
October 27 eve.-31

The 4-day tour explores some most important heritages and culture of imperial China in the two most ancient capitals of Xi'an and Luoyang. They are located by the Yellow River area, north central mainland of China, and are dubbed the cradle of Chines >>> more

Yangtze River Cruise & Dazu Rock Carving
Oct 28-31

The Yangtze, China's longest river, originates on the Qinghai-Tibet-Plateau and flows eastwards. The rushing waters formed the dramatic scenery of the famous Three Gorges. Enjoy the spectacular mountainous landscape of the Yangtze River and its tribu >>> more

Two-day Tour to Datong (Grottoes & Hanging Monastery)
Nov 6-7

Join this weekend tour to see the second-largest of the nearly 51,000 sandstone statues of Buddha in 53 Yungang grottoes. Buddhist cave art began here in Datong, 160 miles west of Beijing, in the fifth century, by Xianbei minority, which ruled North >>> more

Shaolin Temple & Luoyang Longmen Grottos
Nov 12 eve.-14

Take a weekend trip to Luoyang to visit the Longmen Grottoes, one of 3 most famous Buddhist grottoes in China and Shaolin Monastery, the birthplace of both kung fu and Zen Buddhism. >>> more

Ancient City Xi An (Terracotta Army)
Nov 12 eve.-14

Take 2 days trip to visit the famous Terracotta Warrior Site; Ancient City Wall, Shaanxi Museum; Great Mosque and Muslim Street; Wild Goose Pagoda, etc. >>> more

Subtropical Hakka Round Buildings & City Xiamen
Nov 19-21

Get to know Fujian province, the southeastern end of China's mainland facing Taiwan across the strait. Xiamen, beautiful seaport city with Gulangyu Island; then dirve into the villages in the mountains south and west of Fujian for the magical earthen >>> more