In the words of the Lao Tzu, “a path traveled is no longer the same path, a road traveled is no longer the same road.” Old neighborhoods of wooden houses are demolished to make way for 80-story buildings. Streets once filled with bicycles are now jammed with shiny new cars. Buddhist monks read ancient sutras from iPads, and millions of rural farmers move between home and work in the city to support their families. New highways, rail lines and airports are under construction virtually all the time, everywhere, in a race to keep up with 1.4 billion people on the move. If you want to understand the world we live in, there’s no way to ignore China. Throughout its long history, China has inspired curiosity and fascination in travelers, seekers, merchants, and dreamers like few other places.

This program does more than introduce the contemporary China that is seen in the country’s ever-expanding cities; we gain a firsthand understanding of the country’s diverse peoples and cultures, moving through different landscapes. Immersive travel experiences are balanced with a strong language practice and an interdisciplinary exploration of modern Chinese history and economic development, society, and cultural traditions. This program moves from East to West, following a chronological and developmental history of China from the glittering cityscape of Beijing, to Kunming, the City of Eternal Spring, and ending in the Yi ethnic minority village of Damoyu. Along the way, students learn about history, government, economy, arts, and the many ethnic minority cultures of Yunnan, and enjoy hands-on cultural experiences ranging from culinary arts, calligraphy, tea ceremony, and martial arts.