6 DAYS FUJIAN DUAL CULTURAL IMMERSION

Upon arrival into Xiamen airport, drive to your retreat (approx. 160km, 2.5hrs) located in the heart of Nanjing County mountainous region which is known for the “Tulou buildings”, a recognised UNESCO Heritage Site.

The exquisite Taxia Village was built in 1426 in Ming Dynasty by the Zhang Family, and tonight, you will stay in a traditional Tulou building to truly experience the Hakka culture.

Optional: Taxia Village Walking Tour

Depending on your arrival time, we will explore the village on foot to admire the houses of various shares and sizes, ending at the Zhang family’s ancestral temple with exquisite stone dragon flagpoles in front. An easy short hike will take you to the top of a nearby hill for a panoramic view of the village, where you can see a river that runs through the middle of the village has shaped the clusters of Hakka houses into a Taichi diagram.

Enjoy dinner at your retreat.

Explore the Hakka Houses

Visit Chuxi Village, with 36 Tulou buildings constructed in the 14^th century. The Chuxi Tulou cluster buildings have a circular or rectangular shape with two concentric rings – the outer high earthen walls guard the living quarters inside against invaders. Immerse yourself in this unique layout showcases both scientific and artistic values. Next, glimpse into the life and customs of a local family, then follow the path up the back mountain of Chuxi to stunning, terraced fields built from the winding riverside up to the mountain top.

Next, explore Chengqilou Tulou. Due to its towering walls, this is often referred to by some authors as the “Tulou Great Wall”.

Return to your retreat for lunch.

Free at leisure

There are plenty of activities available at your retreat – from learning to play the hang drum, a painting class of the local houses, more hiking to rural villages, or simply relax in your comfortable and well-appointed rooms.

Ascend to an observation deck for a panoramic view of Tianluokeng Tulou, nicknamed “four dishes and one soup” with its 4 circular buildings surrounding a square one.

After lunch, you will head on to Wulin Village (approx. 210km, 3hrs drive) with more than 600 years history, and has an eclectic mix of buildings in its historic core of Romanesque, Gothic, and typical architectural styles from the Fujian province.

Check in to your retreat, with 24 beautifully furnished guest rooms across six Fujian red-brick courtyards and two western-style buildings.  Enjoy a local welcome tea and relax in your retreat.

After breakfast, drive to Quanzhou (approx. 30min).

Quanzhou is a coastal city in Fujian Province, and was a global maritime trade centre back in the Song Dynasty (960-1279) and Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), and was recently added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Start today’s tour with the Maritime Museum, which vividly details development of this major port and its key role in economic and cultural exchanges of ancient China and foreign nations.

Enjoy lunch at a local boutique restaurant to sample the authentic regional cuisine.

Continue on our tour to Taoist Mount Qingyuan, which features granite statues on the summit at 618m – the renowned statue of Laozi was the largest stone carving made during the Song Dynasty. Next, travel to Luoyang Bridge whose construction started in 1053 A.D, and is one of the four ancient bridges of China. A wonderful sunset view awaits from the bridge, surrounded by wetlands.

Return to your retreat for dinner and a premier tea tasting session.

Quanzhou was dubbed “a museum of the world’s religions” for its thriving and diverse religious culture, including Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Christian,Judaism and Catholicism.  Today we will visit 4 important sites to have a glimpse of this ancient international metropolis.

Our first stop is to Kaiyuan Temple, the largest Buddhist temple in Fujian province, originally built in 686 AD during the Tang Dynasty, with the carvings of the main hall and stone towers a fusion of different religions. Continue to Qingjing Mosque, one of the oldest mosque in the country.

After lunch, we will visit Mazu Temple, where you can experience how the devotees worship the marine goddess of China. Our last visit of the day is to Cao’an Temple perched on the hill of Huabiao – the temple is dedicated to Manichaeism, a religion with its origins from Persia in the 3^rd century.

Return to your retreat for dinner. Enjoy the local puppet show in the evening.

This morning is free for you to explore the village, with buildings of various architecture styles constructed by the Chinese who returned from the countries of Southeast Asia, like the Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore. Wander in this open air museum to appreciate the culture and customs. 

After lunch, you will be transferred to Quanzhou airport for your onward journey.