T HE M ETROPOLITAN M USEUM OF A RT M AJESTIC C HINA. From Ancient Cities to the River Li. October 7 to 21, 2011

Transcription

1 M AJESTIC C HINA T HE M ETROPOLITAN M USEUM OF A RT From Ancient Cities to the River Li October 7 to 21, 2011 With an Optional Tibet Postlude October 21 to 25, 2011

2 T HE M ETROPOLITAN M USEUM OF A RT Dear Members and Friends of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Since the days of Marco Polo, Westerners have been intrigued by China, one of the world s most influential civilizations. Explore the country s unique culture, both ancient and contemporary, on this exceptional program. Visit the cosmopolitan cities of Beijing and Shanghai, as well as lesserknown towns along the fabled Silk Road and the breathtaking Li River valley. We are delighted to be accompanied by Alix Devine, who has led tours through the Chinese and Japanese galleries at the Metropolitan Museum for more than twenty years. She received rave reviews on a previous Travel with the Met trip to China and looks forward to returning with us to her favorite destination. We begin with a four-night stay in Beijing. Walk along the awe-inspiring Great Wall and discover the Temple of Heaven, the Ming Dynasty s architectural wonder. At the Forbidden City, step behind the closed doors of Shu Fan Zhai, a lodge with exquisite collections of decorative arts, porcelain, and furniture. We will also experience the unique 798 contemporary art space. Fly to the oasis of Dunhuang, an important stop on the Silk Road, to enjoy a camel ride and explore the famous Mogao Grottoes. Continue to Xi an, where vestiges of a proud imperial history include the tomb of the First Emperor Qin with its legendary 7,500 terra-cotta warriors. Special access to the Shaanxi Archaeological Research Institute will be a highlight. Travel on to Guilin, where limestone karst hills rise from paddy fields and streams. Admire this unique landscape during a cruise along the River Li. Our stay in Suzhou, one of China s oldest and most beautiful cities, includes a visit to the Master of the Fishing Nets Garden, a lovely Ming Dynasty garden that served as the model for the Astor Court at the Met. We will also tour the new museum designed by I. M. Pei. In Shanghai, a vibrant city long known as the Paris of the East, see the outstanding collections at the Shanghai Museum and enjoy leisure time for independent pursuits. KAZAKHSTAN KYRGYZSTAN RUSSIA MONGOLIA Dunhuang Beijing NORTH KOREA SOUTH KOREA Yellow Sea Everywhere we travel, museum directors and private citizens will extend warm welcomes, making our journey a truly privileged one. An optional postlude is offered in the mystical land of Tibet. Won t you join us? T I B E T CHINA Xi an Yangtze Yangtze Shanghai Suzhou East China Sea Sincerely, INDIA NEPAL Lhasa BHUTAN BANGLADESH BURMA Yangtze Guilin Li VIETNAM LAOS Yangshuo China Sea TAIWAN Emily K. Rafferty President T HE M ETROPOLITAN M USEUM OF A RT 1000 FIFTH A VENUE N EW Y ORK, N EW Y ORK 10028

3 M AJESTIC C HINA From Ancient Cities to the River Li October 7 to 21, 2011 SAN FRANCISCO Friday, October 7 Depart on an overnight flight to Beijing. BEIJING Saturday, October 8 Upon arrival this evening in Beijing, transfer to the deluxe Peninsula hotel, located near Tiananmen Square. photo courtesy of the China National Tourist Office Temple of Heaven. BEIJING Sunday, October 9 After a morning lecture, visit the Temple of Heaven, Beijing s finest example of Ming Dynasty architecture. In ancient times, the emperor s procession to the temple to pray for an abundant harvest was considered so sacred that the people of Beijing were forbidden to watch. After lunch, stroll the beautiful grounds of the Summer Palace, the retreat of China s last empress, and see the impressive site of the 2008 Summer Olympics. Gather this evening for a welcome reception and dinner. The Great Wall. BEIJING Monday, October 10 Today begins with an exhilarating walk on the legendary Great Wall, which dates from the 5th century B.C.E. and stretches from Central Asia to the East China Sea. Following lunch near the Great Wall, return to the hotel. Savor a traditional Peking duck dinner this evening. BEIJING Tuesday, October 11 Explore the impressive Forbidden City, the largest and most intact group of ancient imperial buildings in the world, once home to emperors from the Ming and Qing Dynasties. A local expert will accompany us on a private tour of the decorative arts, porcelain, and furniture collections at Shu Fan Zhai, a lodge not open to the public. Lunch precedes a visit to 798, a noteworthy art space that brings together contemporary art, architecture, and culture in a remarkable setting. Dinner and the evening are at leisure. photo by Joel Stratte-McClure photo Hua Chen The Marble Boat, the Summer Palace. The Bird s Nest. M AJESTIC C HINA

4 photo by Lucy Janes Camels in Dunhuang. BEIJING DUNHUANG Wednesday, October 12 XI AN GUILIN Saturday, October 15 This morning visit the Shaanxi Provincial Museum, boasting one of China s richest collections of ancient artifacts, including the impressive Tang Murals. After a dumpling lunch, visit the Great Mosque inside the Muslim Quarter. Board an early evening flight to Guilin. Famous for its limestone crags and lush paddy fields, Guilin has provided inspiration for poets and painters for centuries. Accommodations are at the Sheraton Guilin Hotel. Fly to the edge of the Gobi Desert and the western oasis of Dunhuang, a fabled point on the Silk Road. Check in at the comfortable Silk Road Dunhuang Hotel in time for lunch. In the afternoon, join a camel caravan through the dunes. Return to the hotel for a cocktail reception and dinner. DUNHUANG XI AN Thursday, October 13 Explore the famous Mogao Grottoes, containing thousands of murals, paintings, and manuscripts that have provided a wealth of information for scholars of Buddhism and the Silk Road. In the early evening, fly to Xi an and transfer to the deluxe Shangri-La Hotel. Karst hills along the River Li. GUILIN Sunday, October 16 photo by Francesco Ciocchetti photo courtesy of the China National Tourist Office Terra-cotta warriors in the tomb of the Emperor of Qin, Xi an. XI AN Friday, October 14 The 3rd-century tomb of the First Emperor of Qin, Qin Shihuangdi, is our focus this morning. It contains an extraordinary army of more than 7,500 painted terra-cotta warriors and horse-drawn chariots that were interred with the emperor for his protection. We have been granted special access here for better viewing. Following lunch, a private tour is arranged at the renowned Shaanxi Archaeological Research Institute. Dinner is at a local restaurant. Cruise along the Li River past caves, pools, and waterfalls. Lunch is on board before we disembark in Yangshuo to stroll along colorful West Street. Then visit Yuzi Paradise, a vast sculpture park dedicated to the promotion of contemporary art and culture, where a private reception and dinner have been specially arranged for our group. GUILIN SHANGHAI SUZHOU Monday, October 17 During a morning at leisure you may wish to visit the famous Seven Star Park panda sanctuary. Transfer in the late morning to the airport for the flight to Shanghai. A short drive takes us to Suzhou, one of China s oldest and loveliest cities. Dinner and overnight accommodations are arranged at the Pan Pacific Hotel Suzhou. SUZHOU SHANGHAI Tuesday, October 18 Admire one of Suzhou s largest gardens, the Garden of the Humble Administrator, with walkways, rock formations, ponds, and pavilions. Then tour the new museum designed by I. M. Pei. After lunch, visit the Master of the Fishing Nets Garden, the inspiration for the Astor Court at the Met. In the late afternoon, depart for Shanghai and the well-located Four Seasons Hotel. You may wish to dine at one of the city s fine restaurants. F ROM A NCIENT C ITIES TO THE R IVER L I

5 SHANGHAI SAN FRANCISCO Friday, October 21 Transfer to the airport for our morning flight to San Francisco, crossing the International Date Line and arriving in the morning of the same day. photo Daniel Shih Shanghai skyline. SHANGHAI Wednesday, October 19 This morning visit the beautiful Shanghai Museum with its comprehensive collection of paintings, stone sculpture, furniture, calligraphy, jade, and Ming porcelain, as well as a fine collection of rare bronzes. You may wish to relax in the museum s very pleasant tea room or to browse first-quality reproductions and crafts in its shops. After a fusion lunch at Chinoise Story, the remainder of the day is at leisure. SHANGHAI Thursday, October 20 Today is unscheduled to explore Shanghai on your own. The city s dynamic art galleries may be of interest to contemporary art enthusiasts. Or walk along the Bund, the shore boulevard lined with 19th-century European-style buildings and one of the most extraordinary urban scenes in the world. Celebrate a memorable trip at our farewell reception and dinner at the fashionable riverfront restaurant, M on the Bund. PROGRAM RATE PER PERSON $12,995 SINGLE SUPPLEMENT $1,995 RATE INCLUDES Thirteen nights hotel accommodations, as per itinerary Buffet breakfast daily, ten lunches, and seven dinners; wine with welcome and farewell dinners Economy Class flights: Beijing to Dunhuang; Dunhuang to Xi an; Guilin to Shanghai River Li cruise Enrichment program of lectures Escorted sightseeing and entrance fees Gratuities to guides and drivers Airport / hotel group transfers Taxes, service and porterage fees NOT INCLUDED IN RATE International airfare; passport and visa fees; alcoholic beverages other than wine at welcome and farewell dinners; personal items and expenses; trip insurance; baggage in excess of one suitcase; meals not specified; optional Tibet postlude; transfers for those not on suggested flights; any other items not specifically mentioned as included. OPTIONAL TIBET POSTLUDE $4,595 per person. Single supplement of $950. Includes three nights accommodations at the St. Regis Lhasa Hotel; one night accommodations at the Four Seasons Hotel, Shanghai; buffet breakfast daily, four lunches, and three dinners. Touring as noted in itinerary. To reserve a place, please return this form along with your deposit of $1,500 per person (of which $350 is non-refundable for administrative fees) payable to Academic Arrangements Abroad, 1040 Avenue of the Americas, 23rd Floor, New York, NY Names in Full as on Passports. Please Print. Address City State Zip Telephone (Home) (Business) Fax ACCOMMODATIONS Hotel Room Double Twin Single (supplement of $1,995) I wish to share a room with T HE M ETROPOLITAN M USEUM OF A RT Majestic China From Ancient Cities to the River Li October 7 to 21, 2011 RESERVATION APPLICATION OPTIONAL TIBET POSTLUDE I/We wish to join the optional Tibet postlude ($4,595 per person, single supplement of $950). FORM OF PAYMENT Enclosed is my check (payable to Academic Arrangements Abroad) Credit card (may be used for deposit only) Name on Credit Card Credit Card Number 3- or 4-Digit Security Code Expiration Date Each participant must sign below. I/We confirm that I/we have carefully read and agree to the Terms & Conditions of this Program. I/We agree to full payment by check 120 days prior to departure. Signature (Required) Date Signature (Required) Date For additional information, please contact Academic Arrangements Abroad Telephone: or Fax: met@arrangementsabroad.com

6 photo by Feng Chung photo by Feng Chung Potala Palace (photo by Anne Roberts) and a monk in Jokhang Temple. OPTIONAL TIBET POSTLUDE October 21 to 25, 2011 Discover Tibet, a land shrouded in mystery. The snow-capped Himalayas and ancient spiritual culture contribute to the centuries-old allure of this plateau region, known as the Roof of the World. Visits include the 1,000-room Potala Palace; the breathtaking Kyichu Valley; and Jokhang Temple, whose gilded and bejeweled Sakyamuni Buddha is perhaps the most revered object in Tibetan Buddhism. Accommodations are arranged for three nights in Lhasa at the St. Regis and for one night at the Four Seasons in Shanghai, China. Buddha, Tibet Museum.

7 T ERMS & C ONDITIONS AIRFARE Academic Arrangements Abroad (AAA) will be pleased to assist with air travel arrangements. A suggested flight schedule will be offered, and airfare will be quoted on an individual basis. Please note that a fee of $75 per person will be charged for any reservations other than the suggested flight schedule; private transfers can be arranged at a supplemental cost. To redeem your frequent flyer mileage, please contact the airline directly. Please note that AAA can only assist in rebooking flights on those air reservations booked directly by AAA. PAYMENT SCHEDULE A deposit of $1,500 per person, payable to Academic Arrangements Abroad, of which $350 is non-refundable for administrative fees, is required with the reservation application. Final payment, by check only, must be received 120 days prior to departure. HEALTH All participants must be in good health. This program involves extensive walking over uneven surfaces and climbing stairs at monuments and other locations not handicapped accessible. Any condition that may require assistance or special medical attention must be reported at the time of your reservation. INSURANCE TRIP CANCELLATION / EMERGENCY MEDICAL EVACUATION / BAGGAGE / ACCIDENT AND SICKNESS INSURANCE IS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED. CANCELLATION PENALTIES ARE STRICTLY ENFORCED. AAA will send an insurance application upon receipt of deposit, although you may select any insurer of your choice. CHANGES IN ITINERARY & COSTS The itinerary is subject to change at the discretion of The Metropolitan Museum of Art (the Met) and AAA. All prices quoted are based on prevailing fuel prices, airfares, and currency exchange rates in effect at time of brochure printing and are subject to change without notice. Deviations from the scheduled itinerary are at the expense of the individual. RESPONSIBILITY CLAUSE The participation of the Met is limited to educational sponsorship of the program described in this brochure (The Program). AAA acts only as an agent for the participant with respect to transportation, accommodations, and all other services, relating to The Program. AAA, the Met, and/or their agents assume no responsibility or liability for any act, error, or omission, or for any injury, loss, accident, delay, or irregularity which may be occasioned by reason of any defect in any aircraft, ship, train, bus, or other carrier, or through neglect or default of any subcontractor or other third party, which may be used wholly or in part in the performance of their duty to the participants of The Program. The passage ticket issued by the carrier is the sole contract between the participant and the carrier. Nor will AAA or the Met and/or their agents be responsible for loss, injury, damages, or expenses to persons or property, due to illness, weather, strikes, local laws, hostilities, wars, terrorist acts, acts of nature, or other such causes in connection with The Program or anything beyond their reasonable control. AAA is not responsible for transportation or other program delays and changes, nor additional expenses or loss of time that may be incurred. In the event it becomes necessary or advisable for the comfort or well-being of the participants, or for any reason whatsoever, to alter the itinerary at any time, without notice to the participants, such alterations will be made without penalty to AAA or the Met. Additional expenses, if any, shall be borne by the participants. Baggage and personal effects are the sole responsibility of the participant at all times. The Met and AAA reserve the right to accept or decline any person as a participant at any time, or to require any participant to withdraw from The Program at their own expense when such an action is determined by AAA or the Met to be in the best interest of the participant s health and safety, or the general welfare of the other participants. CANCELLATION POLICY AAA must strictly adhere to its cancellation policy to offset costs incurred prior to the commencement of The Program, which may include but are not limited to: advance payments to land operators; ship charters; communication expenses; development/promotional expenses; and the loss of time that might have permitted resale of reserved space. All cancellations must be made in writing to the offices of AAA and are subject to a $350 non-refundable administrative fee. All refunds are limited to amounts actually received by AAA and are the sole responsibility of AAA; the Met shall have no liability for refunds. At the time AAA receives written notification of cancellation, the following cancellation charges will apply: cancellations received between 120 and 91 days prior to departure, 20 percent of the program cost per person; those received between 90 and 61 days before departure, 50 percent of the program cost per person; no refunds will be given for cancellations received within 60 days of departure. No refunds are given for cancellation on or after the day of departure, or for unused portions of the tour, for any reason. Air cancellation charges, if any, will be assessed in accordance with airline regulations. All group fare tickets must be issued no less than 30 days prior to departure. NOTE: Neither AAA nor the Met shall be liable for any airline cancellation penalties incurred by the purchase of a non-refundable ticket. In the case of a cancellation due to shortage of participants, AAA will attempt to notify all participants at least 45 days prior to departure. However, AAA reserves the right to cancel The Program prior to departure for any reason and, in such case, reimbursement of refundable costs of the trip by AAA shall constitute full settlement with the participant. In the unlikely event that a dispute arises between a participant and AAA or the Met, the following conditions will apply: (a) the dispute will be settled by binding arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association in New York, NY; (b) the dispute will be governed by New York Law; (c) the maximum amount of recovery to which a participant shall be entitled under any and all circumstances will be the sum of all monies actually received from the participant by AAA. The participant agrees that this is a fair and reasonable limitation on the damages, of any sort whatsoever, that a participant may suffer. Upon payment of the deposit to AAA, the participant agrees to be bound by the above terms and conditions. Copyright 2010 Arrangements Abroad, Inc. CST On the front cover: Circular box with figures in a garden, Early Ming Dynasty, Yongle period ( ), China. Carved red lacquer. Diam. 8 3/4 in. (22.1 cm.) H. 2 7/8 in. (7.3 cm.) The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Florence and Herbert Irving Collection, 1992 (L ). On the back cover, top: Zhang Daqian, Chinese, Buddha s Manifestation of Benevolence (detail). China, dated Hanging scroll; ink and color on paper. 59 1/2 x 28 1/16 in. (151.1 x 71.2 cm.). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of Robert Hatfield Ellsworth, in memory of La Ferne Hatfield Ellsworth, ( ). On the back cover, bottom: Master of the Fishing Nets Garden, Suzhou, photo by Alexandra Moss.

8 T HE M ETROPOLITAN M USEUM OF A RT 1000 Fifth Avenue New York, NY PRSRT STD U.S. Postage PAID ACADEMIC ARRANGEMENTS ABROAD M AJESTIC C HINA From Ancient Cities to the River Li October 7 to 21,