12-Day Beijing + Xi'an Humanities & Mandarin Immersion Summer Camp

Destinations: Beijing, Xi'an

Tour Features:

This 12-day China interdisciplinary study tour takes students from Beijing to Xi'an, weaving together imperial history, Olympic legacy, traditional Chinese medicine, Mandarin language immersion, archaeology, biodiversity conservation and intangible cultural heritage. Beginning with arrival and orientation in Beijing, learners explore iconic landmarks including Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, Mutianyu Great Wall and the Beijing Olympic Museum, before engaging in a hands-on TCM herbal sachet workshop. Travelling by high-speed rail to Xi'an, participants settle into campus dormitory life and join themed Mandarin lessons paired with immersive practical activities: BiangBiang noodle making, Tang-style Hanfu etiquette, a Terracotta Warriors inquiry visit, Qinling wildlife conservation education, stone stele rubbing, and rural folk experiences in Guanzhong villages. Designed around inquiry-based learning rather than passive sightseeing, the programme balances classroom language training, guided site investigation and craft workshops, inviting students to trace the continuity between ancient civilisation and modern Chinese development before a closing departure from Xi'an.

Highlights

1. Two-iconic-city learning journey: Beijing + Xi'an This 12-day study tour connects China's modern capital and the ancient Tang capital Chang'an. Students trace a clear narrative from imperial Beijing's Ming‑Qing heritage to Qin and Tang civilisations in Xi’an, supported by high-speed rail transfer that demonstrates China's cutting-edge infrastructure.
2. Inquiry-based learning, not sightseeing Every site visit comes with a defined educational focus and guided discussion prompts. Rather than passive touring, students maintain a study journal, complete observation tasks and answer open-ended questions about architecture, archaeology, philosophy and conservation.
3. Structured themed Mandarin immersion integrated into daily activities Mandarin lessons are tightly aligned with the afternoon hands-on workshops and excursions. Students learn vocabulary for food, clothing, relics and nature, then immediately use new language while making noodles, dressing in Hanfu and exploring museums - language learning becomes practical and contextual.
4. World-famous heritage landmarks paired with unique hands-on workshops The itinerary includes bucket-list sites: Mutianyu Great Wall, Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Terracotta Army and Stele Forest. It balances landmark visits with take-home craft activities: TCM herbal sachet making, Biangbiang noodle workshop, Hanfu etiquette experience and traditional stone rubbing.
5. Rare wildlife & ecological conservation field study at Qinling Four Treasures Science Park Students get the opportunity to view giant pandas (including the rare brown panda Qi Zai), golden snub-nosed monkeys, crested ibis and takin. A specialist conservation educator delivers a session on habitat restoration and species protection, adding a strong STEM environmental dimension.
6. Authentic rural folk immersion in Guanzhong villages The day trip to Zhangjia Village and Yuanjia Village moves beyond tourist zones. Students explore cave dwellings, make steamed buns and meet local artisans, gaining first-hand insight into contemporary rural China, folk economies and living food heritage.
7. Mixed accommodation for layered cultural experience The tour starts with comfortable 4-star hotel accommodation in Beijing, then switches to campus student dormitories in Xi'an. Living on campus lets international students experience real Chinese student boarding life and builds deeper cross-cultural connection.
8. Balanced curriculum covering history, engineering, TCM, arts, ecology and sociology The cross-curricular design suits international school groups, covering humanities, STEM, physical heritage and intangible culture. It supports curriculum links for history, geography, biology, art and language departments.
9. Full safety framework & educator-led group structure The programme opens with orientation, safety briefing and group agreement. A dedicated lead educator accompanies the group throughout, managing learning tasks, behaviour and risk, with private coach transfers and supervised rail travel.

Cost: 17980 RMB/person

Accommodation

• Beijing: 4-star hotel, twin-share rooms
• Xi'an: On-campus student dormitory at a local middle school or university, shared student rooms, campus canteen access
• Shanghai: 4-star hotel, twin-share rooms

Transport

• Intercity: High-speed trains Beijing → Xi'an, Xi'an → Shanghai, Shanghai ↔ Hangzhou
• Local: Private air-conditioned coach for all sightseeing days
• Airport arrival and departure transfers included

What is Included

• All scheduled accommodation
• Three balanced meals daily (Chinese-Western mixed; vegetarian, halal and allergy-friendly meals by advance request)
• All entrance tickets, museum guided sessions and workshop materials
• Intercity high-speed train fares
• Private coach for all local visits
• Full-time qualified English & Chinese speaking guide
• Specialist Mandarin teacher for Xi'an campus sessions
• Group travel insurance
• Student learning journal, workshop supplies and official study certificate

What is Not Included

• International return air tickets
• Visa and passport processing fees
• Independent shopping, extra snacks, drinks and personal spending
• Upgraded premium seats for performances or optional add-ons
• Supplementary overseas insurance required by the home school
• Additional costs caused by weather disruption, museum closure or force majeure

Note: Mandarin immersion lessons and on-campus dormitory are exclusive to packages that include Xi'an. Beijing-only and Shanghai-only itineraries do not contain campus language classes.

Itinerary:

Day 1 | 14 July | Wed | Arrival in Beijing

Educational focus: Orientation, intercultural awareness, group agreement and safety protocols.

Students arrive at Beijing international airport and transfer by private coach to hotel. The lead educator delivers a detailed program briefing, introduces learning goals, journal expectations and group responsibilities. Students receive their study journal and prepare for the inquiry journey ahead. Welcome dinner supports casual cross-cultural conversation. Rest and time zone adjustment.

Accommodation: Beijing 4-star hotel

Day 2 | 15 July | Thu | Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Jingshan Park, Hutong Walking

Educational focus: Imperial architecture, spatial hierarchy, Ming-Qing governance, continuity and change in urban heritage.

Morning: Guided inquiry tour of Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. Students examine how architectural design communicated imperial power, ritual order and philosophical ideas. They analyse the central axis layout. Afternoon: Climb Jingshan Park for a panoramic view of the palace complex. Students then walk the quiet residential hutongs. This neighbourhood preserves the intimate, human-scale urban fabric that coexisted alongside imperial grandeur.

Accommodation: Beijing 4-star hotel

Day 3 | 16 July | Fri | Mutianyu Great Wall & Beijing Olympic Museum

Educational focus: Military engineering, border systems, heritage conservation, Olympic legacy, soft power and sustainable mega-event design.

Morning: Mutianyu Great Wall. Students hike sections of the wall while the educator explains its strategic engineering, signaling systems, labor organization and long-term conservation challenges. Afternoon: Beijing Olympic Museum, adjacent to the Bird's Nest. Learners investigate the dual-Olympic legacy of Beijing (2008 Summer and 2022 Winter Games). They analyze exhibits on athlete stories, venue reuse and sustainability design.

Accommodation: Beijing 4-star hotel

Day 4 | 17 July | Sat | Temple of Heaven & TCM Experience Centre

Educational focus: Ritual cosmology, ancient Chinese philosophy, holistic medical frameworks, herbal pharmacology.

Morning: Temple of Heaven, the imperial complex for agricultural and celestial worship. Students study circular and square geometry linked to ancient ideas of heaven and earth, and explore acoustic phenomena at the Echo Wall and Circular Mound Altar. Afternoon: Guided TCM workshop. Students are introduced to core holistic principles of traditional Chinese medicine. They examine raw medicinal herbs, learn identification skills, and assemble their own herbal sachet to take home.

Accommodation: Beijing 4-star hotel

Day 5 | 18 July | Sun | High-speed Train Beijing to Xi'an, Datang Everbright City

Educational focus: Modern high-speed rail engineering, regional cultural transition, Tang Dynasty urban culture.

Morning: Supervised high-speed rail transfer to Xi'an. Onboard learning: students complete a short comparative reflection contrasting northern imperial Beijing with ancient Chang'an. Afternoon: Check into the school dormitory, settle into boarding life. Evening: Guided walking exploration of Datang Everbright City, a recreation of Tang-era Chang'an inviting students to visualize the cosmopolitan Silk Road hub.

Accommodation: Xi'an campus student dormitory

Day 6 | 19 July | Mon | Themed Mandarin Class + Hand-Pulled Noodle Workshop

Educational focus: Applied food vocabulary, functional Mandarin conversation, folk foodways, artisan skill transmission.

09:00–15:00 Themed Mandarin lesson (self-introduction, greetings, food, ordering), content-aligned with the afternoon activity. Afternoon: noodle workshop led by a local noodle master. Students learn the science of gluten development, kneading, stretching and cooking Xian BiangBiang noodles, following instructions using the Mandarin phrases they have just learned. Learning task: prepare a short Mandarin sentence describing the noodle-making process.

Accommodation: Xi'an campus student dormitory

Day 7 | 20 July | Tue | Themed Mandarin Class + Hanfu Cultural & Etiquette Workshop

Educational focus: Vocabulary for colour, textiles, clothing and ritual; Tang-Dynasty material culture, symbolic design and social etiquette.

09:00–15:00 Themed Mandarin lesson (colours, patterns, garments, polite etiquette expressions). Afternoon: Hanfu immersive workshop. Students study silk weaving motifs, rank symbolism and Tang fashion history. They dress in authentic Tang-style Hanfu, learn traditional greeting rituals and pose for documentation. Discussion explores how clothing communicates identity, status and cultural memory.

Accommodation: Xi'an campus student dormitory

Day 8 | 21 July | Wed | Themed Mandarin Class + Museum of Qin Terracotta Warriors

Educational focus: Historical vocabulary, numerals, archaeology, statecraft of the Qin Dynasty, funerary culture and heritage preservation.

09:00–14:00 Themed Mandarin lesson (numbers, terms for relics and materials). Afternoon: Guided visit to the Terracotta Army. Students explore Pit 1, Pit 2 and the Bronze Chariot exhibit. The guide leads inquiry into the unification of China under the Qin emperor, large-scale state labour, artistic standardization and modern archaeological excavation ethics. Guided discussion: What can funerary art tell us about a ruler's worldview?

Accommodation: Xi'an campus student dormitory

Day 9 | 22 July | Thu | Themed Mandarin Class + Panda Visiting

Educational focus: Nature vocabulary, animal names, environmental conservation, zoology, habitat restoration and biodiversity stewardship.

09:00–12:00 Themed Mandarin lesson (wildlife, forests, habitats, conservation actions). Afternoon: visit to Qinling Four Treasures Science Park. Students observe giant pandas (including the famous brown panda Qi Zai), golden snub-nosed monkeys, crested ibis and takin. A conservation educator delivers a presentation on captive breeding, habitat protection and threats facing endemic Qinling species.

Accommodation: Xi'an campus student dormitory

Day 10 | 23 July | Fri | Themed Mandarin Class + Forest of Stone Steles & Stone Rubbing Workshop

Educational focus: Chinese character history, calligraphy, epigraphy, museum literacy, traditional documentation technology.

09:00–11:00 Themed Mandarin lesson (origin and evolution of Chinese characters, museum vocabulary). Afternoon: Forest of Stone Steles Museum, one of the greatest collections of ancient stone calligraphy in China. Students trace stylistic shifts in Chinese script across dynasties. This is followed by a hands-on stone rubbing workshop. Students learn the traditional transfer technique and create their own rubbing artwork to keep.

Accommodation: Xi'an campus student dormitory

Day 11 | 24 July | Sat | Guanzhong Folk Immersion: Zhangjia Village & Yuanjia Village

Educational focus: Rural sociology, contemporary Chinese village transformation, folk craft economies, food heritage and community life.

Full‑day field study in the Guanzhong countryside. First, Zhangjia Village, where students experience traditional rural life. They will have the chance to visit cave dwellings, make local steamed buns and mould earth bricks used for construction. Next, Yuanjia Village, a living folk heritage site. Students tour active traditional workshops producing local seasonings and food, meet local artisans and sample regional snacks.

Accommodation: Xi'an campus student dormitory

Day 12 | 25 July | Sun | Departure from Xian

Educational focus: Camp closing

Private transfer to Xian airport or railway station for the return journey. No scheduled activities.

Accommodation: Departure