In the Footsteps of Chairman Mao Study Program

Transcription

1 In the Footsteps of Chairman Mao Study Program 20 September 5 October 2014 With a story this big, where do you start? For us, it s in Shanghai, where the first meeting of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) took place. Then a colonial outpost, now, a fast-moving city, we give you the opportunity to step back in time to the 1920s. From here, we go bush in bandit country, the mountains of Fujian Province and the cradle of the Chinese revolution. We find the origins of the Red Army and see the beginnings of the Long March. We conclude in Beijing, where Mao unified a fragmented nation and created a new dynasty of revolution and constant reform. Program objectives: Develop participants knowledge and understanding of China s contemporary culture within historical, political and social development contexts. Build participants capacity to include China-related content in the school curriculum, with specific reference to history and politics. Build participants capacity to implement the Australian Curriculum s cross-curriculum priority of Asia and Australia s engagement with Asia across learning areas. People s Republic of China: For country information, visit This is a draft program outline, subject to changes. Asia Education Foundation reserves the right to adjust the program in response to variations in transport timetables and other changed circumstances. Date Location Program Sat 20 Sept Shanghai Participants arrive in Shanghai and transfer to the hotel. The evening is spent at leisure. University of Melbourne Asia Education Foundation, of 7

2 Sun 21 Sept Mon 22 Sept Tues 23 Sept Shanghai Shanghai Ruijin Back to the future We start our exploration of the evolution of the CCP in Shanghai, which, despite its re-birth as an ultra-modern city of skyscrapers, is also the birthplace of the CCP. Touring the famed majestic Bund area from the Blade Runner inspired Oriental TV Pearl Tower, you will have opportunities to sample Xiaolongbao (steamed pork dumplings) in the Yu Gardens tourist precinct, and see how Shanghai had its own Chinatown during the International Concession period. We will see how the past glory of former banks now host modern consumer brands (Gucci, Prada, etc.) along The Bund waterfront area before enjoying the bright lights of modern Shanghai in Pudong. Red star rising Focusing on the origins of the CCP, we start with a visit to the site of the first plenary meeting of the CCP where history was created on July 1, 1921 when 12 delegates met on the top floor of a girls school in the French Concession area. We will see Mao s Shanghai residence (from 1924), an excellent example of a Shanghai Shukumen style house (a Chinese art deco version of Anglo-American terrace/brownstones) before paying respects at the Revolutionary Martyr Cemetery. Our afternoon program explores Shanghai s colonial past and how the city s former physical geography represented China s fractured state following the overthrow of the Qing dynasty in On Rue Moliere, we visit the amazing villa of Dr Sun Yat-sen, the father figure of modern China, before departing in the late evening for Guangzhou and connecting via coach to Ruijin. Breakfast and lunch included Mao s ideological playground Visiting the epicentre of the Jiangxi Soviet, you will see the key historic sites in the mountains bordering Fujian province where Mao developed his socialist policies and undertook a detailed survey of the county s rural conditions. This was to later shape his views on land redistribution. We will visit the auditorium of the provisional central government of the Jiangxi Soviet Republic, learn more about Jiangxi Soviet s history in the Museum of Revolutionary History and see the Ye Ping Revolution sites. Through our museum visits you will learn more about how Mao developed his military skills with Zhu De, a Sichuan soldier of fortune and former opium addict. Zhu De swapped sides from the Nationalists and used his German training to help develop the Red Army s guerrilla tactics. These focused on the idea that when the enemy advances, we retreat; the enemy camps, we harass; the enemy tires, we attack; the enemy retreats, we pursue. Our day ends with a visit to the Red Well, the start of the Long March. Although this was a tactical retreat, it ended as a strategic victory after reaching Shaanxi province having covered almost 10,000 kilometres in 370 days. We depart Ruijin in the late afternoon and transfer via coach to Jinggangshan. University of Melbourne Asia Education Foundation, 2014 Page 2 of 7

3 Wed 24 Sept Thurs 25 Sept Fri 26 Sept Jinggangshan Jinggangshan/ Shaoshan Shaoshan/ Changsha/ Chengdu Soviet centre Our focus today is to understand the origins of the famed Long March that resulted from Chiang Kai-shek s combined policy of economic blockade and military encirclement of the Jiangxi Soviet region in 1934, which made life very difficult for the Communist forces. We learn how after a series of secret discussions, the CCP leadership decided to evacuate through a narrow gap in the Kuomintang military blockade. The successful withdrawal of the 80,000 men and 35 women with only two weeks worth of rations, led by Zhou Enlai, happened under the cover of darkness on October 16, We visit the recently refurbished Jinggangshan Revolution Museum and discover the origins of the Red Army (People s Liberation Army) from hillside bandits to guerilla fighters. We also learn about Mao s theories on rural based revolution. We learn about Jinggangshan s importance during the Cultural Revolution, when 30,000 Red Guard pilgrims arrived every day to celebrate its role in the creation of the Communist state. Today the town still boasts domestic revolutionary tourists, keen to see the site of the first Red Army Hospital and the creative interpretations of Mao s famous quotes. Fugitives and foundations Not for the faint hearted, the Long March is perhaps the greatest central heroic saga in the development of the Chinese Communist Party and in turn modern China. Today we follow Mao s footsteps and trace our own long march, which includes a 7-hour bus trip to Shaoshan, the birthplace of Chairman Mao. Overnight in Shaoshan. Mao s birthplace Enjoying an early morning start, we visit a number of significant sites relating to Mao his childhood house, Nanan School and the Museum of Comrade Mao. After lunch we transfer from Shaoshan to Changsha to see where Mao went to university and was first exposed to Marxist ideology. In the late afternoon we depart Changsha and arrive in Chengdu in the late evening. University of Melbourne Asia Education Foundation, 2014 Page 3 of 7

4 Sat 27 Sept Sun 28 Sept Mon 29 Sept Tues 30 Sept Chengdu/ Luding County Luding County/ Chengdu Chengdu Yan an Today we depart Chengdu and transfer to Luding Bridge. We arrive late afternoon in Luding County and the evening is spent at leisure. Breakfast and lunch included One step to begin a journey of a thousand miles This morning we visit the famous Luding Bridge. In June 1935, the battle for Luding Bridge was summed up by Peng Dehuai as, Victory was life, defeat was certain death. Twenty communist troops carrying grenades crawled 100 yards hand-over-hand across a chain bridge above the swift and wide Dadu River to secure the bridge and enable the rest of the Communist forces to cross safely and continue the Long March. This event became a defining moment for CCP propaganda. It gave the Party to opportunity to highlight the communists courage and became part of its nation-building mythology. While recent academics and writers, both Chinese and foreign, have questioned the exact details of the battle, the bridge still serves as a useful resource on the use of propaganda in nation building and the (re) interpretations of history. In the late afternoon we return to Chengdu, travelling from the Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. This evening, enjoy the world famous Chengdu hotpot for dinner, where freshly prepared ingredients are only limited by your imagination and fortitude. Patriotism and propaganda This morning we will spend time in Chengdu reflecting on the tour. You will regroup with your fellow group members over lunch and taste a piece of history from the source with Chen Mapo Doufu Pock-marked Mother Chen's Beancurd. This dish was named after the smallpox-scarred wife of a Qing Dynasty restaurateur. It tastes better than it sounds... This evening we get back on the trail of the Long March as we continue onto Yan an, with an overnight train journey to Xi an then connecting to Yan an via coach. Rebuilding the revolution This is the point in the Long March where, even though the Party had lost its southern, eastern, rural and urban bases and looked to have lost despite 15 years of hard struggle, Mao saw the silver lining. He wrote, It is a manifesto, a propaganda force, a seeding marching It has proclaimed to the world that the Red Army is an army of heroes, while the imperialists and their running dogs, Chiang Kai-shek and his like, are impotent. Despite the positive PR, Mao and his CCP leaders faced profound challenges in rebuilding the shattered party in the yellow loess caves of remote Yan an. University of Melbourne Asia Education Foundation, 2014 Page 4 of 7

5 Wed 1 Oct Thurs 2 Oct Fri 3 Oct Sat 4 Oct Yan an Yellow brick road Today we explore Yan an and learn how, by 1937, it became a centre for intensive training of party members and army troops against the backdrop on the United Front with the Kuomintang, in a national fight against the invading forces of Japan. In 1941, Mao exerted special influence on a series of training programs designed to "correct unorthodox tendencies", which in turn confirmed his leadership of the Party. The CCP s time in Yan an is seen as a golden age of Communist Chinese Communist history, with many youthful party members trying to realise a socialist utopia transcending life, art, culture and social justice. After lunch we continue our exploration of this safe haven for the CCP with a visit to the meeting place of the Central Committee of the CCP, as well as Yangjialing Revolutionary site. We will also visit the Zaoyuan Revolutionary Museum, which opened in 1950 and was used to mark the end of the Long March and see how Mao lived with a visit to his former house at the foot of Mt Phoenix. We finish our exploration of Yan an with a visit to Baota Hill for a bird s eye view of this sleepy communist hollow. Yan an to Beijing Wall to wall wonders With an early morning check out, we transfer to Beijing. From the airport we travel to the Great Wall to explore this iconic Chinese symbol of power and nationalism, and learn how this engineering feat reflects China s nationalist ideals. The evening is spent at leisure in Beijing. Breakfast and lunch included Beijing China stands up Our early morning visit to the Gate of Heavenly Peace (Tiananmen) provides the chance to see Mao s iconic portrait overlooking the world s largest open public space. This was where he proclaimed on 1 October 1949 that China had stood up, shaking off the sick man of Asia tag after decades of civil war, invasion and colonisation. We visit Mao s final resting place as we complete the revolutionary cycle before journeying on to the Forbidden City, home of the Ming and Qing Imperial families from 1492 until the Last emperor, Puyi, left in We enjoy a farewell dinner over traditional Peking duck served in a restored Ming dynasty granary. Continually voted as the best duck in Beijing, Dadong Roast duck delivers divine duck cooked over fruit scented firewood with an endless choice of condiments. Beijing Utilise your final morning in Beijing to explore your own personal interests and gather any last minute resources for your school before transferring to the airport for an afternoon departure. Breakfast included University of Melbourne Asia Education Foundation, 2014 Page 5 of 7

6 Study Program land costs We aim to provide you with the very best value for an incredibly intense schedule of activity. Allow $4650 per person, twin share, for the study program s land costs. Flight costs Participants can book and organise their own airfares to China or utilise the AEF s preferred travel provider to assist with airfare bookings. Those participants making their own way to China are expected to meet the group at the first hotel listed in the study program itinerary (provided closer to departure). Tax deductibility Contact your tax advisor to find out whether your study tour expenses are tax deductible. Many of our travellers have found that they can claim against tax and significantly reduce the cost of the trip. Accommodation Accommodation will be in 3- or 4-star equivalent hotels. Hotels are often unrated, but comfort, cleanliness and proximity to local facilities are the guiding factors in our choice of places for you to stay. Accommodation will be on a twin-share basis. Sharing a room with a fellow traveller is often a welcome part of the experience and if you are on your own, we can partner you with another participant. There are limited opportunities for single accommodation (with a supplementary payment of $735), so book early if this is your preference. Meals Many meals are included, but there are also opportunities for you to explore the local restaurants. Wherever possible we try to meet special dietary requirements but we can t always guarantee personal preferences. Transport We take care of all the transfers and ground transport detailed in the itinerary; we will also cover the internal travel arrangements as part of the in-country program costs. During your leisure time, transport is at your own expense but we find that in any case, most of our guests prefer to walk and soak up the local atmosphere. Group leader You will have one or more of our trusted, knowledgeable and helpful group leaders to make sure your study program runs smoothly. Our leaders work with our in-country tour providers, hosts, guest speakers and the relevant authorities to ensure that your experience fully meets our promise and as our group leaders are Chinese specialists, they are able to provide professional learning guidance in workshops and discussion groups. University of Melbourne Asia Education Foundation, 2014 Page 6 of 7

7 In summary Inclusions 3-4 star accommodation experienced group leader with Indonesian experience airport transfers (only if you are travelling on the group airfares) private coach ground transport as listed in the itinerary meals as listed in the itinerary entrance fees to sites listed in the itinerary English-speaking guide for programmed activities. Exclusions ground transport not listed in the itinerary meals not listed in the itinerary tips and gratuities entrance fees and other expenses linked to optional activities photography and camera expenses visas extras bills at hotels for laundry, telephone calls, refreshments personal travel insurance. We require a minimum of 15 participants for this program. Places are allocated on a first come, first served basis, so book your place as soon as you can. Be assured that your safety and wellbeing are our prime concern. We choose accommodation and restaurants with your comfort and enjoyment in mind, and we use only licensed travel providers. Registrations close: 27 June 2014 University of Melbourne Asia Education Foundation, 2014 Page 7 of 7