October Special

Dear CCC friends, if you are not expecting a long and busy trip around China during the October holiday, then this overnight excursions to Hebei is an ideal one. It is a bus tour and stay overnight in a very serene and old courtyard house inside the castle of the Ming Great Wall.  No any other places in and around Beijing have as authentic and peaceful great wall and courtyards as in this Qingshan Guan in Hebei. Or think about sleeping on the Great Wall Jinshanling on Oct. 6-7, when most tourists and photographers finished their trips. 

For short trip out of Beijing, consider our three-day journey to Guangzhou and Kaiping's European Watchtowers. Or maybe just spend this vocation in taking some cultural classes such as taichi, meditation, calligraphy or painting. 
 

Qingshanguan Great Wall Retreat & East Qing Tombs
Oct. 2-3
Take coach to the East Qing Tombs, and then head to Qingshanguan Pass and Great Wall in Hebei, hike the wall and stay overnight in the authentic and unadorned courtyard houses in an obscure village next to the Great Wall at the Green Mountain Pass. >>> more

Explore Guangzhou, Foshan and Pastoral Kaiping
Oct 5-7

Kaiping, 164km from the Macau border, is China at its most bucolic. Its old European style watchtowers are very unique residences. And explore Guangzhou city and Foshan and experience Cantonese culture at Pearl River Delta regions. >>> more

Sleeping on the Great Wall Jinshanling
2pm - 4pm, Oct.6-7

The hike between Jinshanling and Gubeikou Great Wall gives you a truly authentic wall experience and breathtaking views in relative isolation. Sleeping overnight on the Wall (camping or in the watchtower is the coolest experience ever ! >>> more

Morning Zen Meditation Workshop
Saturday, October 1, 11:00-12:30

Join us each week for an insight into the teachings and practices of Zen Buddhism. We'll be guided on our journey of self-discovery by a Buddhist layman and learn about Zen through its music, its stories, its art, its rituals & martial arts. >>> more

Cookery: hand-pulled noodles and dumplings
Friday, Sep 30, 18:30-20:30

Try pulling dough into Beijing style thin longevity noodles in a minute! And then make dumpling (jiaozi) with two different fillings and flavours. CCC invites professional cook to instruct you for these two marvelous culinary skills. >>> more

One Time Overview Instruction of Taichi
Saturday, October 1, 09:20-10:50

Come and join this one time overview instruction of taichi, and learn all about Taichi from movements to breathing and mind cultivation. The English-speaking taichi master will guide you through this mind/body experience. >>> more

One Time Overview Instruction of Chinese Painting
Sunday, October 2, 10:00-12:00

During this two hours class, CCC's artist will teach you the basic knowledge of Chinese painting, from holding a brush, brushwork to style and artistic values. Then you will also try your hand at doing landscape or Bird & Flower Painting. >>> more

Upcoming tours and events in September

Chengde Imperial Mountain Resort
Sep 17-18

Take CCC's comfortable bus to Chende, Hebei Province to see the Summer Mountain Resort (Bishushanzhuang) and its Outlying Temples. The size of Chengde Summer resort is as big as the Forbidden City and the Summer Palace combined. It is surround >>> more

High-speed Train to Pingyao - Raise the Red Lanterns
Sep 23 eve.-25

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

Book Club:"One Man's Bible"
Tuesday, September 20, 10:30-21:00

Join our monthly book chat and this time we will discuss the book:"One Man's Bible" by Gao Xingjian. >>> more

Talk: Medical System in China
Wednesday, September 21, 19:30-21:00

Doctor Liu Ye will talk about China's medical system, from medication and treatment reimbursement, health insurance, differences with western Countries, to the complaints and problems of the doctors and patients, and the problems China faces. >>> more

Cricket Fighting and Chirping Culture
Sunday, Sep.25, 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

Talk: Chinese foot-binding
Wednesday, Sep.28, 19:30-21:00

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

Royal Canal Boat Tour to the Summer Palace
Saturday, September 17,09:00-16:00

Cruise along the imperial canal in a motorized canopy boat past the Beijing Zoo, the Beijing Aquarium and the Purple Bamboo Garden; appreciate the great views en route, and stroll in the garden to join the passionate amateurs of the community singing >>> more

Daytrip: Colonial Architecture Exploration of Tianjin
Sunday, Sep.18,08:30-19:00

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

Visit: Beijing Cloisonne (Enamel Art) Factory
Tuesday, Sep.20, 09:30-12:30

Come to see workshops of cloisonné or Jingtai Lan (the "blue of Jingtai"). It is so named because the blue was the dominant color adopted for enameling, and cloisonné became prevalent during the reign of Jingtai (1450--1456) in the Ming dynasty. >>> more

Backstreet Beijing Walk: Red Building & Northern Cathedral
Friday, Sep.23, 09:30-13:00

Stroll in the old cultural streets at Wusi & Wenjin Street, and others, and view the Red Mansion of old Peking University,Wenjin Street, old palaces of Beijing library, and the "Northern Cathedral of Beijing" >>> more

 October holiday trips

The Silk Road (from Dunhuang to Turpan, Kashgar & Kazakh)
Sep 30-Oct 5

The Silk Road Route starts from Dunhuang's Mogao Grottos in Gansu, fly to Xinjiang to explore Turpan Basin for its grape and melon harvest; then fly to Kashgar, the heart of Chinese Islam and drive to Karakuri Lake and Snow Mountains. >>> more

7 Days Yunnan: Dali, Lijiang & Shangri-La
Oct 1-7

Dreamland Yunnan is famed for its beautiful landscapes and colourful and diverse ethnic cultures. Enjoy the famous ancient town Dali and Lijiang, UNESCO's World Heritage Site, its surronding Jade Dragon Snow Mountains, then tour Tibetan inhabited Sha >>> more

The Silk Road (from Dunhuang to Turpan, Kashgar & Kazakh)
Oct 1-6

The Silk Road Route starts from Dunhuang's Mogao Grottos in Gansu, fly to Xinjiang to explore Turpan Basin for its grape and melon harvest; then fly to Kashgar, the heart of Chinese Islam and drive to Karakuri Lake and Snow Mountains. >>> more

Ningxia's Muslims, Goat-skin Rafting & Inner Mongolia Desert
Oct 2-4

This journey will explore the large Muslim community along Yellow River, do goat-skin rafting, and then cross the border from Ningxia into Inner Mongolia desert dunes. Climbing aboard a jeep and drive up and over the shifting sand dunes. >>> more

Ancient City Xi An (Terracotta Army)
Oct 2-3

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

In-depth Xinjiang Tour: Kashgar, Kucha and Takalamakan Desert
Oct.2-7

Visit the famous Kashgar and Kucha, two largest Uigur and muslim community cities of Xinjiang and experience the Taklamakan, China's largest desert; and visit the Grotto of Thousand Buddhas, the earliest major Buddhist cave complex in China. >>> more

The Most "Chinese" Scenery Guilin & Yangshuo
Oct.3-5

Guilin has China's most "Chinese' scenery - paddy fields, farmers wearing straw hats, etc., and the town of Yangshuo has limestone carst peaks along the Li River. Its natural scenery and laid back air, is a great escape from the big cities. Longsheng Rice Terraces' natural beauty and the colorful ethnic minorities cultures and customs attract people from all over the world. >>> more

Sichuan Panda Natural Reserve, Leshan Buddha & Jiayang Steam Train
Oct. 4-6

Visit the Panda center at Ya'an Natural Reserve, taking photos with the giant Pandas or even holding a panda; visit the famous Le Shan Giant Buddha, world's largest Buddha statue in the World >>> more

Ningxia's Muslims, Goat-skin Rafting & Inner Mongolia Desert
Oct 5-7

This journey will explore the large Muslim community along Yellow River, do goat-skin rafting, and then cross the border from Ningxia into Inner Mongolia desert dunes. Climbing aboard a jeep and drive up and over the shifting sand dunes. >>> more