TCA News

6 – 23 September 2025

Take this opportunity to visit parts of China where few Westerners venture: beautiful Anhui (Peaceful Beauty) province, a birthplace of ancient Chinese civilisation reminiscent of Classical Chinese painting with its pine covered peaks.

Home to numerous UNESCO world heritage sites, you will explore traditional villages, ascend one of the four sacred Taoist mountains of China, and wonder at the mysterious grottoes. From there, a bullet train will take you to Hanzhou and famous West Lake before travelling back to cosmopolitan Shanghai.

Then it’s on to this year’s 3rd Traditional Sports International Festival to practise your skills and meet other like minded enthusiasts from all over the world.

Itinerary

Day 1 – 2

Melbourne to Nanchang

Our first destination in China is Nanchang– the capital of Jiangxi Provence. Situated on the right bank of the Gan River, it is a famous cultural city dating back more than 2,200 years. We will visit the Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine and attend a Workshop in Qi and Health (Life) conducted by one of the most knowledgeable experts in the Qigong field - Professor Wenchun Zhang.

Day 3

Nanchang – Huangshan (Yellow Mountain)

After lunch we take the bus 40 kms to Chengkan Bagua Village, one of the most beautiful villages in the region. With a history of 1,200 years, it was founded during the Ming Dynasty. Built according to the principles of Fengshui and the “Bagua” or Eight Trigrams used in Daoist cosmology to represent the fundamental principles of reality, its three streets and 99 alleys are like a maze. The Longxi River divides the village like a jade belt, while the surrounding eight mountains are like the directions of the Eight Trigrams. It is said that Chengkan gathers wind ande nergy, water and wealth and harmonises yin and yang. The ancient houses, temples, pavilions and bridges made from stone, brick and wood are decorated with exquisite carvings; wandering the narrow paths, visitors may feel that time has stopped. The sophisticated layout and beautiful landscape of the village make it a famous tourist site.

Our next stop, 5 kms away, is Tangmo Ancient Village at the foot of Mt Huangshan.

Founded during the Tang Dynasty (618-907), Tangmo still retains its relatively intact ancient architecture, historical features and its simple and harmonious existence with nature.

A highlight is the Tangan Garden where the Shikoku (source of water) lies. Huizhou people like to build Shikoku at the village entrance according to Fengshui, believing that water is a symbol of wealth. Thus Tangmo is known as China’s No 1 Water Village. An impressive sight is the eight stone bridges across the Tangan river which runs through the village. Though small in size, they all have different styles. Another highlight is the Jing Ting (Mirror Pavilion) where you can see stone calligraphy of 18 famous Chinese artists.

From Tangmo, we take the bus to the Huashan Mysterious Grottoes. Named by President Jiang Zemin himself, it is the largest underground cave site discovered in China to date. The 36 exquisitely designed grottoes, scattered among the green hills along Xin’an River, are a unique attraction in China. No-one knows when they were made or by whom, or why there are no records of such a huge man-made project covering an area of more than 80sq kilometres.

Day 4

Huangshan Scenic Area‍

After breakfast, we take the bus to Huangshan Scenic Area, home to several UNESCO World Heritage sites. Transferring to the environmentally friendly transportation to Ciguang Pavilion, we take the cable car to the top of Huangshan. There you will see spectacular scenery reminiscent of Chinese ink landscape painting; the iconic pine trees, unique rock formations, and sea of rolling clouds are unforgettable. You will also get to climb Guangmingding, the second highest peak of Huangshan, worth it for the amazing views of surrounding peaks.

We return by cable car down the mountain, taking the bus to the city to visit Tunxi Old Street. Dating back to the Song Dynasty (960-1279), it is known as the “Lijiang Ancient City of Huizhou”. When Emperor Huizong (1082-1135) moved his seat of government to Lin’an (now Hangzhou) he conscripted architects and workmen to construct his new capital. On returning home to Tunxi, they imitated the structural style and so Tunxi Old Street was formed. It is the best-preserved example of Song, Ming and Qing Dynasty architecture in China. An important water transport hub since the Song Dynasty (960-1127), Tunxi Old Street consists of one main street, 3 side streets and 18 alleys, the whole area being built in the shape of a fish with shops and living quarters integrated. Apart from the exquisite carvings decorating, doors, window sills, beams etc, one interesting feature is that all the houses drain off water through the skylight because water means fortune and in this way fortune will not run off outside. Tunxi Old Street is typical of one where residents still live and conduct their business, and is a paradise for souvenirs.

Day 5

Qiyun Mountain‍

After breakfast, we visit Qiyun Mountain where The Four Great Taoist Sites are located. In Chinese, Qiyun means ‘high as the clouds’ and its highest peak Langya ‘penetrates the sky’. Historically, the top of the mountain was always enveloped in white clouds, giving it the name also of “White Mountain”. The cliffs of Qiyun are straight and steep, the valleys are deep, the peaks compete with each other, and the Danxia landform (a unique type of petrographic geomorphology formed from red-coloured sandstones and conglomerates) is like brocade. The beautiful mountain scenery, the Danxia landform, cliff carvings, Taoist culture, Ming Dynasty relics, ancient streets in the mountains, and rural scenery along the way are all dazzling and surprising. Whether you love natural scenery or prefer cultural landscapes, Qiyun can make your trip worthwhile. Afterwards, the bus will take us to Yixian County.

After lunch, we visit the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Xidi and Hongcun, two outstanding traditional villages which are typical of non-urban settlements of a type which largely disappeared last century. Xidi, whose beautiful name means the Household of Peach Blossom Garden, is surrounded by mountains and built along and between three streams. Walking through the magnificent houses, exquisite gardens, and finely decorated memorial archway, you can experience a little of Hui culture in the exquisite stone, wood, and brick carvings. This is the Xidi experience, of people living in the Peach Blossom Garden, with a history of 900 years. Finally, we visit Hongcun Village, located at the foot of a hill next to a stream which forms two pools, Nanhu Lake and Yuezhao Lake. The village is said to be shaped like a cow’s stomach, the lakes being the cow’s bellies. More than 100 well preserved water pavilions and residential buildings – exquisite and elegant – are built around the water system, each with its own characteristics. Thanks to film director Ang Lee, Hongcun has become famous as the location for his movie "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon".

Day 6

Qiandao Lake

After breakfast, we take a bus to Qiandao Lake, an artificial reservoir created in 1960 for the Xin’an River Hydroelectric Power Station. It is famous for its sweet mountain spring water and delicious fish as well as for the thousands of islands, vast blue waves, clear lake water, strange caves and rocks, and deep harbours. It is currently within the largest national forest park in China. The lake area is 573 square kilometres with an average water depth of 34 meters and visibility of 9-14 meters.

We will then take the High-speed Rail to Hangzhou.

Day 7 – 8

Hangzhou

Morning bus trip around Hangzhou - ‘the most beautiful and most magnificent city on earth’ and popular resort city for the 17th and 18th Century Chinese nobility. A cruise on West Lake, nestled on the city fringes, will give you a much better look at the elegant stone bridges, charming pavilions and masses of lotus flowers strewn like jewels around the lake. If we have time, we will stop off at Three Moon Reflection Island and look back at Hangzhou in all its glory.

Lingyin Temple – also known as ‘Temple of the Soul’s Retreat’ is a magnificent structure founded in 326 AD featuring a laughing Buddha carved in camphor wood and covered in gold. We will stop at the Temple on our way to Tiger Spring before indulging in a well-earned Chinese Tea Tasting at the Dragon Well Village.

A visit to the China Silk Museum is next. Here you can observe the full cycle of fine silk production from silkworm to final product.

Day 9

Hangzhou – Wuzhen – Shanghai

Next we visit Wuzhen - or Wuzhen Water Town, one of the top six ancient towns in South China, has been praised as a land of abundance since ancient times. Established over 1,300 years ago, it's a typical water town of Jiangnan Style (Jiangnan is the region south of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River). Wuzhen fully preserves the water town's style and pattern of the late Qing Dynasty and the Republican period. This is reflected in the little streams with houses on opposing banks, small bridges connecting streets, stone paved alleys - all elements of a Jiangnan water town.

The waterways that run through Wuzhen naturally divide the town into four different sections, known as Dongzha (East), Nanzha (South), Xizha (West) and Beizha (north). Most travellers prefer the Dongzha (East Area) so we will just visit this area due to limited time.

Dongzha, covering an area of 0.9 square kilometers, is located to the east of Shi River, hence the name Dongzha (East Area). It was opened to the public as a scenic spot in 2001. There are six bridges across the river, and the wooden architecture on the north bank are the main attraction. Although Dongzha has been primarily developed as a scenic zone, there are still many locals living here, turning their houses into home inns or restaurants. To explore Dongzha is to enjoy many different traditional folk customs.

After Lunch we will go to Shanghai by Coach

Day 10 – 11

Shanghai

Shanghai – the “Paris of the East” is one of the world’s largest cities and China’s most commercial and cosmopolitan.  It has an eclectic mix of 21st Century contemporary, British Colonial and ancient Chinese architecture.

The first thing any visitor must do is walk along the riverside promenade “The Bund” and be transported back to the European colonialism of the late 1800’s. We will walk across to the famous Golden Mile of Chinese Commerce – Nanjing Road and indulge in some very exclusive window shopping.

The Yuyuan Garden is a must on a Shanghai itinerary both for its intricate beauty and respite from the bustling city streets. Another respite can be found in the Jade Buddha Temple, famous for its two extremely rare white Jade Buddhas, one of which is carved out of a single piece of white jade weighing one ton, and inlaid with dazzling jewels.

We will also visit the famous Taoist Chenghuang Temple (Shanghai Old City God Temple), originally built over 600 years ago in the Ming Dynasty. Destroyed during the Cultural Revolution, it was rebuilt in 1994.  Chenghuang is also a popular shopping area and is well worth exploring.

The Oriental Pearl Tower is immediately recognisable as the symbol of Shanghai, attracting thousands of visitors each year. At 486 metres, it’s the 6^th tallest Radio and Television Station in the world. But its unique futuristic structure is what you’ll remember. Connected by 11 spheres of differing size, its base is supported by three slanting stanchions, seven metres wide; surrounding the steel spheres, which are strung vertically through the centre, are three 9-metre wide columns. Standing on grassland, the entire structure gives the appearance of pearls shining on a jade plate.

Double decker elevators which can hold up to 50 people travel up and down the tower, the Shanghai Municipal History Museum is located in the pedestal; the large lower sphere is a futuristic space city while the 5 smaller spheres are a hotel. The ‘pearl’ at the very top contains shops, restaurants (including the largest revolving restaurant in Asia) and a sightseeing floor.

We spent our final evening at the revolving restaurant of the Oriental Pearl Tower, enjoying a buffet filled with delicious, top-quality Chinese cuisine while taking in the breathtaking view of the city from above. The stunning panorama at this height fills you with a sense of wonder at the beauty that surrounds you. Afterwards, we embarked on a cruise along the Huangpu River—the mother river of Shanghai – an ideal way to experience the city's remarkable landscape, highlighted by its spectacular contemporary architecture.

Day 12

Jiangyin

Today we take the train to Jiangyin to attend the 3rd Traditional Sports International Festival. If time permits, we will visit some attractions such as Liyuan Garden, considered the most beautiful lakeside garden in China. Exquisitely designed, the harmonious shades of its pavilions, causeways, and corridors, bring a sense of well-being to all who visit. Decorated with inscriptions by ancient calligraphers, the thousand-metre-long corridor that winds its way through the park offers glimpses of the garden through the numerous lattice openings in the white wall.

Day 13 – 16

3rd Traditional Sports International Festival

The 3rd Traditional Sports International Festival is a multi-sports Festival including Health Qigong, Dragon Dance, Lion Dance, Wushu, Kite Flying and Weiqi from 18 to 22 September, 2025.

By participating in this event, you can practise your skills, and make friends with other Chinese traditional sports’ fans from all over the world.

You are also able to participate in other activities: Health Qigong forums/lectures, local cultural programs, enjoy authentic cuisine and visit famous scenic spots arranged by the organizing committee. As this Festival is an international sport gathering, it is also an opportunity to discover Chinese culture and civilization.

TCA attended the 2nd Traditional Sports International Festival last year and we had a great time, see the article here.

Day 17

Jiangyin – Shanghai – Melbourne                  

After breakfast, we travel to the airport for our flight home.

Our journey ends.  We return to our loved ones with many fascinating stories of one of the most exotic countries in the world.

Day 18

Arrive in Melbourne

The above itinerary is subject to final confirmation.

Cost: $3799* (based on a 20 people minimum before 3 August 2025) which includes:

• Return economy class airfares, China internal train and coach fares, twin share accommodation, sightseeing and most meals in China.

The tour will be fully escorted by TCA chief instructor Master Han Jin Song who speaks fluent Chinese and English and will be of valuable assistance to you in any way he can, including bartering. Since 1991, Master Han has built an enviable reputation of professional and quality service whilst escorting over 600 Australians, many of whom have accompanied him on several occasions for Cultural Tours all over China and Tai Chi Study tours at the Beijing Sport University and Chen Jiagou, the birth place of Tai Chi.  His accumulated in-depth knowledge of what Australians really like to see and do will make this 33rd Tai Chi China Tour one of the most memorable holidays that you could possibly have.

The 33rd Tai Chi China Tour is open to all Tai Chi students and their relatives or friends who are interested in China’s fascinating culture, traditions and history of China.  It includes many famous sightseeing and historical sites.

*Please note that we will endeavour to keep the itinerary and prices as advertised. However, we reserve the right to change aspects of the tour should it become necessary.

The tour is limited to 20 persons, so book early!

Contact Song for further details on 0415 993 399 or email info@taichiaustralia.com.au

If you are interested in the 33rd Tai Chi China Tour and would like to get detailed information and a booking form, please download the form from the link below, fill in and email to: info@taichiaustralia.com.au