China Internship

16 exciting days: August 2 through August 17 2007

In conjunction with East-West Healing Arts Institute, American Alternative Healthcare Center presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: an up-close encounter with some of China's most spectacular attractions. This 16-day internship in traditional Chinese medicine including acupuncture, massage, and herbal medicine is also a journey through China's history, beauty, regional crafts, folk culture, foods, arts, and music.

The internship is organized and led by accomplished China tour leader Dr. Xiping Zhou, who will escort you by plane, bus, and train. Visit China Delight Tour to learn about other China Trip packages.

Itinerary (Itinerary may be subject to change)

Day 1: Fly from Madison, Wis. or Chicago via Northwest Airlines or United Airlines to Beijing.
Day 2: Arrive in Beijing, China's capital city - population 11 million! Our guide will meet you at the airport on your arrival and take you to the centrally located Beijing International Hotel, a premiere 5-star establishment. Rest. Dinner provided, if your arrival time is not too late.
Day 3: American breakfast (ABF) in hotel. Visit to Capital Hospital of Beijing. Receive massage and acupuncture treatment given by physicians of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Lunch. Afternoon tour of historic Beijing, including a trip to Tiananmen Square. From there, it's a short walk to the Forbidden City, the palace of 24 Ming and Qing Dynasty emperors. Visit either the Temple of Heaven, where emperors worshipped heaven and prayed for good harvest, or the Summer Palace, where emperors held office and spent their summer days. At a major art gallery, see demonstrations of the ancient arts of Chinese calligraphy and painting in action.

Day 4: ABF in hotel. Full-day tour outside Beijing. Tour the Tongrentang Herbal Pharmacy, and receive a health assessment. Climb the Great Wall. Lunch. Dinner in the city will be a special Peking Duck banquet. Rest at hotel.
Day 5: ABF in hotel. Fly to Xi'an. Visit the Wild Goose Pagoda and the ancient city walls. In the evening, see a wonderful stage show of the Tang Dynasty. Check in at the five-star Sheraton Hotel. For dinner, feast on a splendid assortment of dumplings.
Day 6: Breakfast in hotel. Xi'an, the cradle of Chinese civilization, was the state capital for 73 emperors spanning 11 dynasties for 1,110 years dating from 4000 B.C. Visit one of the wonders of the world: the Terra Cotta Warriors. Concealed under the earth 2,200 years ago, these thousands of life-sized clay warriors, horses, and chariots, part of the Tomb of Emperor Qingshihuang, were accidentally discovered by a farmer while he was digging a well. Fly to to Chongqing, where your Yangtze River cruise will start. Enjoy a Hot Pot dinner, a specialty of the local Szechuan cuisine. Board the Regal Cruise, a five-star Yangtze River cruise ship. Spend the night on the ship.
Day 7: Cruise on the Yangtze, known as the "mother river" of China. Stunning views of the towering peaks and striking landscapes along the longest river on the Eurasian continent. Shore excursion to one of the many towns along the river valley. Meals served aboard ship.
Day 8: Cruise. Enjoy a picturesque ride in a sampan, a traditional small Chinese boat, through the Three Gorges, and along a Yangtze tributary. Shore excursion to Shaibzozhai Temple, a 12-story wooden pagoda built against the side of a sheer rectangular cliff. Meals served aboard ship.
Day 9: Cruise arrives in Yichang. Disembark and visit the Three Gorges Dam construction project. When completed, this will be the world's biggest dam. In the afternoon, fly into Wuhan, Check in to the 5-star Xinhua Novotel Hotel.
Day 10: Breakfast in hotel. Tour the city of Wuhan, including the history museum. Fly to Yellow Mountain, described as the prettiest mountain in all of China. Throughout the millennia, a visit to this 72-peak mountain range has been the treasured goal of countless Chinese poets, artists, writers, and diplomats. Discover the timeless appeal of the mountain's natural beauty, ranked alongside the Great Wall and the Forbidden City as one of the most significant sites of the world's historical heritage. Spend the night at a mountain resort.
Day 11: Breakfast in hotel. Spend the day climbing and exploring Yellow Mountain and enjoying this invigorating natural setting. See seas of clouds, steep cliffs, thundering waterfalls, distinctly shaped jade-black peaks, odd-shaped pines, and other natural wonders. Also see the ancient streets, bridges, and walkways of the old towns that once flourished here.
Day 12: Spend some more time on Yellow Mountain in the morning. Descend Yellow Mountain and stop at a local old town of Tunxi. Dinner. Fly to Shanghai, the port city where the Yangtze River pours into the East China Sea. Shanghai is the largest metropolitan area of modern China, and the economic and financial center of the country. On arrival, check in to the five-star Jinjiang Tower Hotel.
Day 13: ABF in hotel. The morning features a city orientation tour of the bustling, huge city of Shanghai, including visits to Yu Garden and Old Town. Later in the day, drive west towards Suzhou, known as "Garden City" and "Venice of the East." Check in to the beautiful, garden-style Wu Palace Sheraton Hotel.
Day 14: ABF in hotel. Spend the day touring Suzhou to visit the many splendid gardens there: Lingering Garden, Master of Fishnet Garden, and others. See the Grand Canal. Stop at a silk factory and learn how this luxurious fabric is produced. Lunch and dinner served at a local restaurant. In the evening, attend a performance of classical Chinese music.
Day 15: ABF in hotel. Drive back to Shanghai. Sightseeing in Shanghai includes Yu Garden, the old town, Nanjing Road, and more. Lunch and dinner served at a local restaurant. Enjoy the incredible feats of the Shanghai Acrobatics show. Stay overnight at Shanghai Jinjiang Tower Hotel.
Day 16: ABF in hotel. Free time in the morning until transfer to airport in the afternoon for flight back to United States.