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Taiji
The Chinese characters for Taiji can be translated as the “Supreme Ultimate Force”. The notion of “supreme ultimate” is often associated
with the Chinese concept of yin-yang, the notion that one can see a dynamic duality (male/female, active/passive, dark/light, forceful/yielding,
etc.) in all things. “Force” (or, more literally, “fist”) can be thought of here as the means or way of achieving this ying-yang, or “supreme-
ultimate” discipline. In a very real sense one can consider Taiji to be a physical expression and manifestation of the principles and philosophy of Taoism.
The Three Principles of Chinese Taiji are: Relaxation, tranquility and the state of being natural.
Following the principles of Taoist internal alchemy, the goal of Taiji is to return the body and mind to its original pure and healthy state.
Emphasis is put on being kind, generous and helpful to others and releasing one’s own stress and worries. Taiji has been described as a
form of “meditation in motion” where the continuity of its movements, combined with the devotion of one’s undivided attention, heal and
revitalize both the body and mind.
Taiji consists of sequences of movements which derived from the martial arts (and perhaps even more ancestrally than that, from the natural
movements of animals and birds) although the way they are performed in Tai Chi is slowly, softly and gracefully with smooth and even transitions
between them. Taiji is a gentle art of health and well-being for people of all ages and health conditions. Many thousands of people are enjoying
the health benefits of Taoist Tai Chi practice in approximately 500 locations in 25 countries around the world.

Arrive in Beijing, the capital of China. Meet your guide upon arrival and be transferred to your comfortable hotel. (D)

In the morning, practice Taiji with local practitioners in the Temple of Heaven. Begin the day’s sightseeing with a visit
to visit Temple of Heaven where the emperors of Ming and Qing Dynasties worshipped heaven and prayed for good
harvest. Then, visit Tian’anmen Square, the largest urban square in the world. Move on to visit the Imperial Palace,
also known as the “Forbidden City”, the biggest palace complex in the world. A Peking Duck Dinner concludes
your first full day activities in China. (B-L-D)

Morning Taiji practice with local practitioners in Jingshan Park. Today’s highlight is your visit to the Great Wall, one
of the “Seven Wonders of the World” and a symbol of Chinese civilization. Just like a gigantic dragon, the Great
Wall winds up and down across mountains. A short drive away is the statue-lined Shenlu (Spirit Road) leading to
the Ming Tombs, here you can see some marvelous stone sculptures. The Ming Tombs area is for deceased
emperors of the Ming Dynasty. (B-L-D)

Take an Incentive Qigong and Taiji training in the White Cloud Taoist Temple, the center of Taoist activity in Beijing.
You will be learning a special form of Taoist Taiji and Qigong from the resident Master. Have Vegetarian lunch and
dinner in the Temple. Take an overnight train to Zhengzhou with soft sleeper (the 1st class in China, 4 persons
sharing one cabin). (B-L-D)

Day 5 Zhengzhou-
Chenjiagou
Village

Be picked up from railway station and drive to Chenjiagou Village in Wenxian for study Chen-style Taiji for 3 days. (B-
L- D)

Day 6 Chenjiagou
Village

Study Chen-style Taiji. (B-L-D)

Day 7 Chenjiagou
Village

Study Chen-style Taiji. (B-L-D)

Day 8
Chengjiagou
Village-Dengfeng

Whole day is to Dengfeng to visit the Shaolin Temple, which is located at the foot of Songshan Mountain – the central
of the five scared mountains in China. The temple was founded in 527 A.D. by a monk, Bodhidharma. He developed
a form of physical movement which is based on the natural motions of animals, hence the origin of Shao Lin Kung-fu.
Have vegetarian Feast in the Shaolin Temple. (B-L-D)

Day 9 Dengfeng-
Luoyang

Go ahead for Luoyang, visit the Longmen Grottoes, built in the year of 494, during the Northern Wei Dynasty. The
Longmen Grottoes is one of China’s three leading treasure houses of grotto art, with 2,100 grottoes. The largest
Buddhist sculpture stands 17.14 meters tall. (B-L-D)

Day 10 Luoyang-
Xi'an

After breakfast, you will visit the Luoyang Folk Art Museum. Then, ride a train to Xi’an, passing by the Huashan
Mountain, one of the five famous Mountains in China. Be transferred to the hotel on arrival. (B-L-D)

Day 11 Xi'an

Begin the day’s activity with an once-in-a-lifetime viewing of the extraordinary 2,200-year-old Terracotta Warriors
of China’s first feudal Emperor, Qin Shihuang. On your way back to the city, stop at a mountain village and meet local
residents. After lunch, visit the superb Shannxi History Museum, the best of its kind in China. Visit to Big Wild Goose
Pagoda which was built in 652 A.D. It contains a large volume of Buddhist scriptures which were obtained from India
by the eminent monk of Xuanzang. (B-L-D)

Day 12 Xi'an-
Wuhan

Climb the ancient City Wall and visit Forest of Steles Museum where precious stone carvings and sculptures are
kept. Enjoy a characteristic dumpling dinner at a local restaurant. In the late afternoon, fly to Wuhan, described as
the “homeland of White Cloud and Yellow Crane”. (B-L-D)

Day 13 Wuhan-Mt.
Wudang

Pay a visit to the Yellow Crane Tower, one of the three most famous towers in south China (the other two are
Tengwang Tower in Nanchang City of Jiangxi Province and Yueyang Tower in Yueyang City of Hunan Province).
Yellow Crane Tower is situated at the top of Sheshan (Snake Hill) in Wuhan, Hubei Province, and has a beautiful legend...
Then, visit the Guiyuan Taoist Temple, the Temple of Original Tranquility, first built in 1658 in the early Qing Dynasty.
It is famous in Buddhist circles for its scripture collection which includes a complete seven-thousand volume set of
the rare Longcan Sutra, but visitors are more likely to be impressed by the several hundred individually styled saintly
statues in the Arhat Hall, and the statue of Sakyamuni in the main hall, carved from a single block of white jade, a gift
from Burma in 1935. Then, visit Provincial Museum, which has a store of 146,000 pieces of culture relics, 672 of
which are first class state treasures. Take an overnight train to Mt. Wudang with soft sleeper (the 1st class in China,
4 persons sharing one cabin). (B-L-D)

Day 14 Mt.
Wudang

Arrive at Mt. Wudang in the early morning. Mt. Wudang, a famous Daoist sacred site in China, attracts endless
pilgrims with its magnificent temples. Mt. Wudang has a very long history in connection with Daoism. During the
key day, it is said that Mt. Wudang covers 8 "gong", 2 "guan", 36 "antang" and 72 "yanmiao", 39 bridges, 12 pavilions
and the 70- odd-kilometer-long path leading from the piedmont to the peak. After more than 500 years, several of
the buildings were damaged throughout the ages. Only the six temples (gong) of Zixiao, Taihe, Jindian, Nanyan,
Yuzhen and Yuxu, the two temples (guan) of Fuzhen and Yuanhe, and buildings such as Mozhen Well and Xuanyue
Gate still remainin existence. Visit the Zixiao Temple, Golden Palace, Nanyan Palace, and other scenic areas today.
Zixao Temple is the largest and most intact temple of those extant on Mt. Wudang. Zixiao Temple is the largest and
most intact temple of those extant on Mt. Wudang. Golden Palace, made in copper, plated in gold and made to
resemble wood, is located on the peak of the Tianzhu Hill. Stay overnight on the mountain in the very simple guest
quarters and have vegetarian feasts. (B-L-D)

Day 15 Mt.
Wudang

Take Incentive Taiji training in the morning and early afternoon. The free time is to explore the mountain. During
the learning time, you will know about Wudang Taiji Boxing, Qigong and Meditation, and study in Taiyi Five Element
Boxing and Wudang Taiyi Unfettered Palm Boxing for those interested. (B-L-D)

Day 16 Mt.
Wudang

ITake Incentive Taiji training in the morning and early afternoon. The free time is to explore the mountain. (B-L-D)

Day 17 Mt.
Wudang

Take Incentive Taiji training in the morning and early afternoon. The free time is to explore the mountain. (B-L-D)

Day 18 Mt.
Wudang

Take Incentive Taiji training in the morning and early afternoon. The free time is to explore the mountain. (B-L-D)

Day 19 Mt.
Wudang-Wuhan

Take Incentive Taiji training in the morning. Ride an afternoon train back to Wuhan. (B-L-D)

Day 20 Wuhan-
Shanghai

Take a morning flight to Shanghai, the bustling commercial heart of China, known as “Paris of the East”. Visit the
Bund , at the west shore of the Huangpu River, the Oriental Pearl TV Tower and the Jin Mao Tower can be seen on
the opposite side. The splendid row of early 20th century Europe buildings remains the quintessential Shanghai
sight. Visit fascinating Yuyuan Garden, a well-restored Suzhou-style garden, and take a walk through the Old
TownGuiyuan Taoist Temple filled with antique markets and specialty stores. A fabulous Acrobatic Show concludes
your first day in Shanghai. (B-L-D)

Day 21 Shanghai

This morning you will visit marvelous Shanghai Museum, a leading attraction of the city since it opened in 1994,
containing some priceless collections of paintings, porcelains and bronzes. Move on to check out the St. Ignatius
Cathedral (Xujiahui Cathedral) built in 1846. Wander around the former French Concession represented by the leafy
Fuxing Park and the architecture in the area. Then pay a visit to the Jade Buddha Temple where two rare jade statues
of Sakyamuni Buddha are treasured. You will have some free time in the afternoon to explore the city. (B-L-D)

Day 22 Depart
from Shanghai

Be transferred to the airport and prepare for boarding on your homebound flight. (B)