Introduction

Hello, or 你好, or Ni Hao (Pronounced Knee-How)

Photos by Lorraine Thomas

China was a wonderful life-changing experience thanks to Dr. Joanna Crosby, professor of philosophy and religious studies at Morgan State University.  It gave me a chance to immerse myself into a completely different culture and change my perspective about myself.  My biggest challenge was communication and how it affected my people skills since learning about others, their culture, their beliefs, their customs, and their socialization absolutely intrigues me.  Knowing more Chinese, besides the greetings, would have given me the opportunity for more interaction with the wonderful Chinese people that I met along my travels.  I also discovered that Chinese are extremely friendly and loves taking photos of you and with you. 


Another challenge was forcing myself to adjust to my new time zone, which was 12 hours ahead of the United States (est).  Other than those minor disadvantages, I rose to the occasion and learned so many great things about the Chinese culture that will add to my memory bank as a woman trying to find herself in this world, one country at a time.  My study tour of China took me to cities including: in Datong, Beijing, Shanxi, Hunan, Huzhou, Shanghai, Zhejiang, and Inner Mongolia.  

Datong

Yungang Grottoes

Photos by Lorraine Thomas

Yungang Grottoes is located in Datong, China and is considered as a World Heritage Site, the grottoes were carved out of sandstone cliffs on Wuzhou Mountain. Yungang Grottoes were dug over a span of forty years (CE 453-493).

Photos by Lorraine Thomas

It stretches some 1000 meters continuously from east to west and it is one of the four famous grotto complexes throughout China. Of the 53 original grottoes of the Yungang Grotto complex, only 45 remain intact. These remaining 45 grottoes contain some 250 niches and 51,000 Buddhism statues and murals.

Photos by Lorraine Thomas

Shaolin Temple

Shaolin Temple

Photos by Lorraine Thomas

My visit to the Shaolin Temple (also known as the Shaolin Monastery) located in Dengfeng City, China was a great reality for me because I grew up with a household of boys who idolized martial arts.  The Shaolin area is rich culture and history.  It is the origins of the world famous Shaolin Kungfu and the birthplace of Chinese Zen.  The Shaolin Temple was built over 1,500 years ago. 

Photos by Lorraine Thomas

Martial Arts

Photos by Lorraine Thoma

The monastery is of high prestige, and the requirements for any boy to be granted admission is extremely competitive.  Boys who are admitted entry receive extensive training from day one.  I was fortunate to spend the night on campus where I heard them training as early as 05:00 a.m.  That was so exciting!

The Forest of Pagoda Cemetery 

Photos by Lorraine Thoma

West of Shaolin Temple is the forest of Pagoda, which is the cemetery where all the senior monks of different dynasties are buried and houses over 240 pagodas of the dynasties from Tang to Qing.

 The Shaolin Kungfu Show

However, the highlight of my experience was when I attended their Chinese martial arts performance, called the Shaolin Kungfu Show, which I have captured in the video below.  Enjoy the performance!

Taiyuan

Yingxian Wooden Pagoda

Photos by Lorraine Thomas

The Yingxian Wooden Pagoda is the oldest and tallest wooden pagoda in China. The pagoda was built in 1056. It remains a mystery to scientists and tourists alike that this pagoda withstood several natural disasters and still was able to maintain its original condition.

Hanging Monastery

Photos by Lorraine Thomas

The Hanging Monastery is a wondrous monastery listed as a world heritage site. The Hanging Monastery was magically built into a near vertical rock face and hangs about 50 meters above the ground. The monastery is the only one in China that enshrines Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism within one monastery.

Shanghai

Photos by Lorraine Thomas

Shanghai is China’s financial capital and has a fast-paste New York City metropolitan culture of its own.  In Shanghai you will find a more diverse background of people from so many different backgrounds, and a globalized group of Chinese who incorporates western culture into their own.  It was comforting to know that they had a command of the English language more than the other cities and regions I visited.  Below is an example of Shanghai's entertaining nightlife:

The Shanghai Science and Technology Museum: 

This museum promotes science, education, culture and progress. It aims at offering visitors a unique experience in the modern scientific discipline under the theme of nature, people and science.  I really enjoyed the exhibits and had so much fun there while learning at the same time.  They were innovating and creative; take a look for yourself:

Photos by Lorraine Thomas

Photos by Lorraine Thomas

Photos by Lorraine Thomas

Shanghai Museum

Shanghai Museum was established in 1952 and is a large museum of ancient Chinese art and artifacts demonstrating ancient wisdom and philosophy.  It is located across the Shanghai Museum of Science and Technology and has an upscale restaurant on the main level.  I had a great opportunity to learn about Chinese history and culture.  Being a budding historian and anthropologist, I focused on these sections the most:  the history of Chinese writing (Chinese Calligraphy Gallery), the history of Chinese currency (Chinese Currency Gallery), and the origins of Chinese people (Chinese Minority Nationalities’ Art Gallery).  I tried to capture my favorite exhibits for you to enjoy:

Beijing

Photos by Lorraine Thomas

Beijing is the capital of China and is over 800 years old.  It is one of the most popular places to visit in China because it is the home of the Great Wall of China at Badaling, Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, and the Summer Palace.  For the past 30 years, Beijing has developed progressively and now there are over 20 million residents living in Beijing. 

Tiananmen Square.  Photos by Lorraine Thomas

The Forbidden City.  Photos by Lorraine Thomas

Temple of Heaven.  Photos by Lorraine Thomas

Summer Palace.  Photos by Lorraine Thomas

The Great Wall of China at Badaling

Photos by Lorraine Thomas

This side of the Great Wall is the most popular for tourist.  I was completely culture shocked to see Chinese themselves climbing the wall for the first time with the same enthusiasm that I had.  It was thrilling just standing on history itself; knowing all the Chinese dynasties that renovated the wall to their own military specifications. I was also grateful just knowing that one of my childhood dreams came to full fruition.

Beijing Foreign Studies University

Photos by Lorraine Thomas

Beijing Foreign Studies University is the top foreign language and international studies university in China.  My visit to the university was to meet with Dr. Chenshan Tian, Director of the Center for East-West Relations, and engage in an intellectual debate over globalization and global economy.  Dr. Tian also told me about their annual Confucian Studies Summer Institute program from June 6 – July 3 this year.  The program is great for students interested in Confucianism and allows them to read Chinese classics with world-renowned scholars at the birthplace of Confucius in Nishan, China.  Later on that evening, we were invited to the Xu Xiang Zhai vegetarian restaurant.  This restaurant is inspired from Confucianism and the food was so remarkable delicious!

Xu Xiang Zhai Vegetarian Restaurant.  Photos by Lorraine Thoma

Chinese Food in China

Grandma Lin’s Flavor Restaurant in Datong, China.  Photos by Lorraine Thomas

Eating Chinese food in China was so authentically different from what I’m used to in the United States and my taste buds will never be the same.  This was the most anticipated event of my study tour in China.  I practiced eating with chopsticks for approximately three months prior to my departure because I wanted to impress the Chinese themselves.  Just like most things in life, practicing to eat with chopsticks got progressively better the more I did it. 

At home, I ate everything with chopsticks all day long, but eating rice was the most challenging of them all.  Once I made my way to China, I fit right in!  I watched with admiration how the Chinese manipulated chopsticks with bread, pastry, and other awkward food items with a breeze.  I found it insulting if I were ever offered a fork, which occurred infrequently, and would politely say to the server: bu (it means no in Chinese.)

Chinese Food

Photos by Lorraine Thomas

Pingyao

Shanxi Province Museum

Photos by Lorraine Thomas

Shanxi Museum has is a beautiful museum assembled the largest collection of cultural relics in Pingyao, Shanxi Province, about 200,000 items. Some of the most important items include the relics from the Neolithic Age, relics from the Shang Dynasty, artifacts from the Northern Dynasties, stone carvings, local ceramics, operatic artifacts from the Jin and Yuan Dynasties, and relics of Shanxi merchants from the Ming and Qing Dynasties.

Photos by Lorraine Thomas

Photos by Lorraine Thomas

Photos by Lorraine Thomas

Itinerary

Beijing Capital International Airport.  Photos by Lorraine Thomas 

DAY ONE

Destination: Beijing 
by airplane

Travel: Washington Dulles Airport to Beijing Capital International Airport

DAY TWO

Destination: Beijing


Accommodation: Beijing Heyuan Youth Hostel

Cultural Sightseeing: The Great Wall of China at Badaling

Meals: Western style breakfast, Chinese lunch and Chinese dinner

Beijing Heyuan Youth Hostel.  Photos by Lorraine Thomas

DAY THREE

Destination: Beijing


Accommodation: Beijing Heyuan Youth Hostel

Cultural Sightseeing: Tiananmen Square, the Forbidding City, Summer Palace, and the Temple of Heaven

Meals: Western style breakfast, Chinese lunch and Chinese dinner

DAY FOUR

Destination: Beijing


Accommodation: Beijing Heyuan Youth Hostel

Cultural Sightseeing: Beijing Foreign Studies University

Meals: Western style breakfast, Chinese lunch and Chinese dinner

DAY FIVE

Destination: Beijing to Shijiazhuang and Beijing to Datong by train


Travel: Beijing West Railway Station to Shijiazhuang Railway Station and Beijing West Railway Station to Datong Railway Station

Accommodation: Beichen Garden Hotel

Meals: Chinese lunch
at the Beichen Garden Hotel

Beichen Garden Hotel.  Photos by Lorraine Thomas

DAY SIX

Destination: Datong


Accommodation: Beichen Garden Hotel

Cultural Sightseeing: Desheng Castle and Yungang Grottoes


Meals: Chinese style breakfast, Chinese lunch at Grandma Lin’s Flavor restaurant, Chinese dinner at the Tongsheng Restaurant

DAY SEVEN

Destination: Datong to Taiyuan


Accommodation: Hua Yuan Hotel

Cultural Sightseeing: Yingxian Wooden Pagoda and Hanging Monastery.

Meals: Chinese style breakfast and Chinese lunch at the Guoli Restaurant

Hua Yuan Hotel. Photos by Lorraine Thomas 

DAY EIGHT

Destination: Taiyuan to Pingyao
 by bus

Accommodation: Yuchengyuan Inn

Cultural Sightseeing: Shanxi Province Museum, Jinci Temple, Shuanglin Temple and Qiao Family Compound


Meals: Chinese style breakfast and Chinese lunch 


Yuchengyuan Inn.  Photos by Lorraine Thomas

DAY NINE

Destination: Pingyao 
by bus

Accommodation: Yuchengyuan Inn

Meals: Chinese style breakfast

DAY TEN

Destination: Pingyao to Taiyuan to Zhengzhou to Dengfeng by train


Travel: Taiyuan Railway Station to Zhengzhou Railway Station

Accommodation: Chanju Hotel


Cultural Sightseeing: None

Meals: Chinese style breakfast and Chinese dinner
at the Chanju Hotel

Chanju Hotel
.  Photos by Lorraine Thomas

DAY ELEVEN

Destination: Dengfeng to Zhengzhou to Zhengzhou to Xian
by train

Travel: Zhengzhou Railway Station to Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station and Zhengzhou Railway Station to Taihong Railway Station.

Cultural Sightseeing: Shaolin Temple and Pagoda Forest (including Shaolin Kungfu Show)

Meals: Chinese style breakfast and Chinese lunch at the Shaolin Monastery

Photos by Lorraine Thomas

DAY TWELVE

Destination: Xian
to Shanghai by train

Travel: Zhengzhou Railway Station to Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station

Accommodations: Shanghai Mingtown International Youth Hostel

Meals: Western style breakfast, Chinese lunch and Chinese dinner

DAY THIRTEEN

Destination: Shanghai

Accommodations: Shanghai Mingtown  International Youth Hostel

Cultural Sightseeing: The Shanghai Museum and the Shanghai Museum of Science and Technology

Meals: Western style breakfast, Chinese lunch and Chinese dinner

DAY FOURTEEN

Destination: Shanghai

Accommodations: Shanghai Mingtown International Youth Hostel

Cultural Sightseeing: Shanghai Circus World

Meals: Western style breakfast, Chinese lunch and Chinese dinner

DAY FIFTEEEN

Destination: Shanghai

Accommodations: Shanghai Mingtown International Youth Hostel

Cultural Sightseeing: Downtown Shanghai

Meals: Western style breakfast, Chinese lunch and Chinese dinner

DAY SIXTEEN

Destination: United States by airplane

Travel: Shanghai Pudong International Airport to Washington Dulles Airport