M AJESTIC C HINA T HE M ETROPOLITAN M USEUM OF A RT. From Ancient Cities to the River Li

Transcription

1 M AJESTIC C HINA T HE M ETROPOLITAN M USEUM OF A RT From Ancient Cities to the River Li October 12 to 27, 2012

2 T HE M ETROPOLITAN M USEUM OF A RT KAZAKHSTAN KYRGYZSTAN 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 of the breathtaking River Li valley. Accompanying us will be Diane H. Schafer, a frequent traveler to China whose lively gallery talks on Asian art at the Met draw rave reviews. Her personal contacts in the country s cultural world and her series of informative lectures will make for a very special experience. 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. Explore the impressive Forbidden City, an imposing and opulent royal residence for centuries. We will also experience the unique 798 contemporary art space. Fly to Zhengzhou to visit the Shaolin Temple, known for its martial arts and pagoda forest. Continue to Luoyang and discover centuries of exceptional stone carvings in the Buddhist Caves of Longmen. A bullet train takes us 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. Travel on to Guilin, where limestone karst hills rise dramatically from paddy fields and streams. Admire this unique landscape during a cruise along the River Li. Enjoy a private reception and dinner at Yuzi Paradise, a renowned contemporary sculpture park. Animal lovers may choose to visit a panda sanctuary during a morning at leisure in Guilin. Our stay in Suzhou, one of China s oldest and most beautiful cities, includes a specially arranged night 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 RUSSIA collections at the Shanghai Museum and enjoy leisure time for independent pursuits. T I B E T MONGOLIA CHINA Beijing NORTH KOREA SOUTH KOREA Yellow Sea Luoyang Zhengzhou Shanghai Xi an Suzhou Yangtze East China Sea Yangtze Everywhere we travel, museum directors and private citizens will extend warm welcomes, making our journey a truly privileged one. Won t you join us? Sincerely, INDIA NEPAL 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 NEW YORK Friday, October 12 Depart in the early afternoon on an overnight flight to Beijing. BEIJING Saturday, October 13 M AJESTIC C HINA From Ancient Cities to the River Li October 12 to 27, 2012 photo courtesy of the China National Tourist Office Arrive in Beijing in the afternoon and transfer to the deluxe Peninsula Palace Hotel, located in the heart of the city and just a few minutes from Tiananmen Square. Dinner is at leisure. Temple of Heaven. BEIJING Sunday, October 14 After a morning lecture, we have been invited to visit an artist s home and studio. Lunch precedes a tour of 798, a noteworthy art space that brings together contemporary art and culture in a remarkable setting. Gather this evening for a welcome reception and dinner. BEIJING Monday, October 15 Explore the majestic 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. Following lunch, continue to the Temple of Heaven, considered Beijing s finest example of Ming Dynasty architecture. In ancient times, the emperor proceeded to the Temple of Heaven on the day before the winter solstice to pray for an abundant harvest. This procession was so sacred that the people of Beijing were forbidden to watch. Savor a traditional Peking Duck dinner this evening. The Great Wall. BEIJING Tuesday, October 16 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. After lunch, return to Beijing, where the remainder of the day is at leisure. BEIJING ZHENGZHOU Wednesday, October 17 Depart Beijing on a short morning flight to Zhengzhou. Upon arrival, enjoy lunch followed by a visit to the Henan Provincial Museum. Gather in the late afternoon for a lecture. Dinner and overnight are at the Yuda Palace Hotel. Pagoda forest, Shaolin Temple. photo by Drnan Tu photo by Joel Stratte-McClure M AJESTIC C HINA

4 ZHENGZHOU LUOYANG Thursday, October 18 photo by Paula Sola Moyer This morning visit Shaolin Temple, a Chan Buddhist Monastery founded in the 5th century in the thick forests of Mt. Shaoshi. Known for its practice of martial arts, the monastery and its pagoda forest were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in After lunch, drive to Luoyang where dinner and an overnight are at the Lee Royal Hotel Luoyang. LUOYANG XI AN Friday, October 19 Discover the limestone carvings of Buddha at the Longmen Caves along the cliff of the Yi River. Begun in the 5th century, work on the carvings continued through the Tang Dynasty. Lunch is followed by a visit to the Luoyang Museum of Ancient Tombs, on the site of the ancient city. In the late afternoon, a bullet train takes us to Xi an. Overnight accommodations are at the deluxe Shangri La Hotel. Great Buddha in the Fengxian cave (672 C.E.), Longmen Caves. XI AN Saturday, October 20 The 3rd-century tomb of the First Emperor of Qin, Qin Shihuangdi, is our focus this morning. It contains an army of more than 7,500 painted terra-cotta warriors and horse-drawn chariots that were interred with the emperor for his protection. After lunch, visit the Shaanxi Provincial Museum, boasting one of China s richest collections of ancient artifacts, including the impressive Tang Murals. Return to the hotel for dinner. XI AN GUILIN Sunday, October 21 Detail of a roof at the Great Mosque, Xi an. GUILIN Monday, October 22 Cruise along the Li River past caves, pools, springs, 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. Enjoy a private reception in the park, followed by dinner. GUILIN SHANGHAI SUZHOU Tuesday, October 23 During a morning at leisure you may wish to visit the famous Seven Star Park panda sanctuary. In the late morning, fly to Shanghai. A short drive then takes us to lovely and ancient Suzhou. A special night visit has been arranged to the Master of the Fishing Nets Garden, the inspiration for the Astor Court at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Dinner and overnight accommodations are at the Pan Pacific Hotel Suzhou. SUZHOU SHANGHAI Wednesday, October 24 Admire the Lingering Garden, with scholar stones, ponds, and pavilions; then tour the traditional yet modern Chinese museum designed by I. M. Pei. Enjoy a canal boat ride before lunch. Attend a special performance at the Kun Qu Opera Museum. In the late afternoon, depart for Shanghai and the well-located Peninsula Hotel. The evening is at leisure. photo by Chris Wilkinson This morning visit the Museum of Stone Tablets, followed by a traditional dumpling lunch. See the Great Mosque inside the Muslim Quarter and the Han Dynasty Yang Mausoleum Museum before an early evening flight to Guilin. Famous for its limestone crags and lush paddy fields, Guilin has inspired poets and painters for centuries. Accommodations are at the Shangri La Guilin Hotel. Panda in the sanctuary at Seven Star Park, Guilin. photo by Phil Parsons F ROM A NCIENT C ITIES TO THE R IVER L I

5 SHANGHAI NEW YORK Saturday, October 27 Transfer to the airport for our afternoon flight to New York, crossing the International Date Line and arriving in the evening of the same day. photo Daniel Shih Shanghai skyline. SHANGHAI Thursday, October 25 The Shanghai Museum, which we visit this morning, has a comprehensive collection of painting, stone sculpture, Ming porcelain, and calligraphy, as well as rare bronzes. After lunch, walk along the Bund, the shore boulevard lined with 19th-century European architecture and one of the most extraordinary urban scenes in the world. Dinner is at leisure. SHANGHAI Friday, October 26 Today is unscheduled for individual pursuits. Shanghai s art galleries may be of interest to contemporary art enthusiasts. Celebrate a memorable trip during our farewell reception and dinner at the fashionable M on the Bund. PROGRAM RATE PER PERSON $13,495 SINGLE SUPPLEMENT $2,295 RATE INCLUDES Fourteen nights hotel accommodations, as per itinerary Buffet breakfast daily, eleven lunches, and eight dinners; beer with lunches and dinners; wine with welcome and farewell dinners Economy Class flights: Beijing to Zhengzhou; Xi an to Guilin; Guilin to Shanghai Bullet train from Luoyang to Xi an River Li cruise Enrichment program of lectures Escorted sightseeing and entrance fees Gratuities to guides and drivers Airport / hotel group transfers and porterage Taxes and service charges NOT INCLUDED IN RATE International airfare; passport and visa fees; alcoholic beverages other than beer at lunches and dinners and wine at welcome and farewell dinners; personal items and expenses; trip insurance; baggage in excess of one suitcase; meals not specified; transfers for those not on suggested flights; any other items not specifically mentioned as included. Majestic China From Ancient Cities to the River Li October 12 to 27, 2012 RESERVATION APPLICATION FORM OF PAYMENT To reserve a place, please return this form along with your deposit of $2,500 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 T HE M ETROPOLITAN M USEUM OF A RT Enclosed is my check (payable to Academic Arrangements Abroad) Credit card (may be used for deposit only) Names in Full as on Passports. Please Print. Address City State Zip Telephone (Home) (Business) 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. Fax ACCOMMODATIONS Hotel Room Double Twin Single (supplement of $2,295) I wish to share a room with Signature (Required) Date Signature (Required) Date For additional information, please contact Academic Arrangements Abroad Telephone: or Fax: met@arrangementsabroad.com

6 photo by pilgrim girl 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 (top). Karst hills along the River Li (center). Scholar stones and pavilions at the Lingering Garden, Suzhou (bottom).

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. 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 $2,500 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 2012 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, 1986 ( ). 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 12 to 27,