NEWS & EVENTS

Before coming to China, the one thing I knew I had to see was the Great Wall. From an American perspective it is the quintessential Chinese site, equally historical and astounding, and when one thinks of China one thinks of the Great Wall. Other famous sites like the Forbidden City and the Terracotta Warriors are famous, but nothing compares to the Great Wall.

Although I have already spent a couple months in Beijing, I know there was still much more to see and explore, so I spent the National Day break trying see as many new places in the city as I could. National Day is celebrated on October 1 every year, and it is a celebration of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.

September continued to be an exciting month, and on the same week of the Mid-Autumn Festival I got the chance to visit one of the most visited attractions in the world- the Forbidden City. I went on a Saturday with a group of students from The Beijing Center.

The past month has been very exciting, and I have experienced a ton of events and celebrations unique to China, a highlight being the Mid-Autumn Festival. I have heard of the Mid-Autumn Festival in the U.S. in Chinese class, and it has always seemed like an interesting holiday.

Nestled at the edge of the Gobi Desert, Dunhuang is a place where history, nature, and culture converge. Known as a key stop along the ancient Silk Road, this small town is a treasure trove of experiences, from breathtaking desert landscapes to rich cultural heritage.

Staying in Xiahe in the colder season added a beautiful, if bracing, layer to the experience. Xiahe County, located in the Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Gansu province, China, borders Qinghai province to the west. Upon arriving at the Baoma Hotel, where I stayed for two nights, I was greeted by crisp air and temperatures that hovered near freezing.

“If you want to witness China’s 500-year history, go to Beijing. If you want to witness China’s 2000-year history, go to Xi’an,” stated my tour guide. When I landed in Xi’an after a lengthy overnight trip, I was greeted with a steaming breath of summery wind in the midst of a gorgeous, blossoming metropolitan surroundings.

Over the course of about 10 days, we traveled well over 4,000 kilometers from Beijing all the way to Kashgar, stopping at many places along the way and seeing a variety of cities, landscapes, and cultures that I never thought I would get to experience.

Painting snuff bottles was one of the most unexpectedly enjoyable experiences I’ve had in China. Many of the excursions and activities I have been able to do through TBC are very famous, like the Forbidden City or the Summer Palace, so I have known what to expect and to be excited for.