Activities and Field Study Trips

Throughout the semester, students are invited to take part in a full schedule of excursions, events and lectures - all designed to enhance their understanding of China and the historical and modern influences that impact its culture and people. 

Silk Road Field Study Trip

To view a slide show of the Fall 2008 Silk Road Field Study Trip, please click here. 

To view the Travel Itinerary for the Fall 2008 Silk Road Field Study Trip, please click here.

The spring, summer, and fall terms of the Xi’an program include a two-week Silk Road field trip that allows students the exciting opportunity to see first-hand many of the historic trading, religious and artistic sites that they learn about in the core course, the Silk Road Yesterday and Today. The field trip will depart from Xi’an for Gansu Province, where students will explore the historic Silk Road hub and oasis city of Dunhuang and its caves with spectacular Buddhist wall murals. In Gansu students will also visit Jiayuguan, the western terminus of the Great Wall and often used Kung Fu film location. From Gansu students depart for Xinjiang Province to explore Heavenly Lake (Tianchi) and stay in a Uighur village near the capital, Urumqi, as well as visit the oasis towns of Kashgar in the West and the vineyard-rich Turpan in the East. This unique study trip will make the Silk Road course come to life and provide an opportunity to learn not only about history but also development, politics and modernization. As part of their Capstone Projects, students will continue to investigate an area of particular interest during this trip.

As trip destinations are subject to change, please continue to check this site for the most up-to-date information or contact info@allianceglobaled.org.

Local Activities

The ancient and modern metropolis of Xi'an offers a wealth of destinations and activities.  Whether it be walking or biking around the top of the City Wall exploring the sights and people-watching, or strolling in one of the many outdoor markets, talking with vendors, sampling local street food and making new friends, Xi'an is full of surprises.  The Grand Mosque is one of the largest and most active mosques in China. The magnificent Terracotta Warriors in the Tomb of Emperor Qin Shihuang are a short drive from the city.  Students will also have the chance to have a guided tour of the Shaanxi History Museum, one of the best art and history museums in China.  Performances, cultural activities, outdoor excursions, and visits to ancient tombs will create a lively schedule of organized activities. A weekend trip to a village outside of the city will allow students to better understand rural life in China and to learn about the world-famous folk paintings made in Hu Xian. (Please note that activities are subject to change).

1. The Terra Cotta Warriors and the Tomb of the First Qin Emperor Tour
Arguably one of China's most famous and popular tourist sites, the Terracotta Warriors (Bingmayong) are among the top archaeological excavations of the 20th Century. Located at the foot of the Mountain Li and 2 km west of the Terracotta army, is the tomb of the Qin Emperor.  The Warriors were built to protect this tomb.

2. The Shaanxi History Museum
The Shaanxi History Museum offers a full display of historic relics mainly excavated in the Province. The exhibition can be divided into seven sections which emphatically reveal the prosperity of the Prehistoric Age; the Zhou; Qin; Han; Wei; Jin; North and South; Sui; Tang; Song; Yuan; Ming and Qing dynasties. The exhibition vividly and systematically depicts Shaanxi history, ranging from 1,150,000 years ago up to the year 1840. In Chinese history, thirteen dynasties established their capitals in Shaanxi Province, lasting more than 1,000 years. It is the area that was made the country's capital by more dynasties and for longer periods of time than any other places in China. In a way, the ancient history of Shaanxi is a highly condensed version of Chinese history.

3. Tour to the Museum of Forest of Stone Tablets
The Museum of Forest of Stone Tablets in Xi'an (the former Shaanxi Provincial Museum), a courtyard-styled structure, is situated at the site of the Confucian Temple in Sanxue Street, Xi'an. It was originally the Imperial Ancestral Temple of the Tang Dynasty and later became the Confucian Temple in the Song Dynasty.

4. City Wall Bike Tour
The Xi'an City Wall is not only the most complete city wall that has survived in China, but it's also one of the largest and most complete ancient military systems of defense in the world. The city walls here were actually built on the fortifications of the Tang Forbidden City.  Students will have the opportunity to tour the wall via bike.

5. The Bell Tower, Drum Tower and the Great Mosque Tour
The Bell Tower in Xi'an is situated in the very heart of the city and at the junction of four main roads. The Drum tower is located by the side of the Muslim area. The Great Mosque in Xi’an is one of the oldest, largest and best-preserved Islamic mosques in China and its location is northwest of the Drum Tower (Gu Lou) on Huajue Lane.
Moslem Street (Huimin Jie) is an old street paved with bluestone plate, both sides of which stand a row of Muslim restaurants decorated in Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) Dynasty styles. This is the best place to taste Xi’an snacks. There’s also the chance to visit a family and experience the local life.

6. Big Wild Goose Pagoda and Tang Paradise Tour
Situated in the Da Ci'en Temple, about four kilometers from the urban center, the Big Wild Goose Pagoda (also called the Da Ci'en Temple Pagoda) is one of the most famous Buddhist pagodas in China. The north square of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda has the biggest music fountain in Asia.
Tang Paradise is a beautiful park with the significant cultural heritage of Tang Dynasty. A water screen movie and fireworks can be enjoyed there every night.

7. Small Wild Goose Pagoda and Xi’an History Museum Tour
The Small Wild Goose Pagoda stands in Jian Fu Temple, one kilometer south from the downtown area. If the Big Wild Goose Pagoda can be compared to a stalwart young man, the Small Wild Goose Pagoda is then like a delicate, slim girl. Xi’an History Museum is located in the park of the Small Wild Goose Pogoda. It is a new museum with high technology.

8. Famen Temple Tour
Famen Temple is located in Famen Town 120 kilometers northwest of Xi'an. Although this Temple is a fair distance from Xi'an, it is a fascinating place with an intriguing history and well worth the effort it takes to get there.

9. Tour to Huaqing Hot Spring and Banpo Museum
Huaqing Hot Spring (Huaqing Chi) is situated 30 kilometers east of Xi’an at the foot of the Lishan Hills. The springs were a popular retreat for Emperors more than 2500 years ago.  It is just as popular today, with many still visiting to enjoy bathing in the clear mineral water.
The Banpo Neolithic Village (Banpo Yizhi) is six kilometers east of Xi'an. This excavated site of a village dates back to 4500 BC and was recently discovered in 1953.

10. Lishan Mountain Hiking
Mount Lishan is on the north side of Mount Qinling and, at its highest peak, reaches 1,256 meters. The shape of the mountain is said to resemble a horse, hence the name which translates as “Black Horse Mountain”.

11. Huashan Mountain Hiking
At a height of 2,160 meters and about 120 km east of Xi'an, Huashan, literally translated as Flower Mountain, is a sight for sore eyes.

12. Qianling Mausoleum Tour
Qianling Mausoleum is located on Liangshan Hill about 80 kilometers west of Xi'an. This well preserved mausoleum is the joint tomb of the Tang dynasty Emperor Gaozong and Empress Wu Zetian.

13. Hanyangling Museum Tour (Mausoleum of Western Han Emperor Liu Qi)
The Mausoleum of the Western Han Emperor, Liu Qi, is located at Zhangjiawan Village, about 20 kilometers north of Xi’an City. It is the joint tomb of Liu Qi, a notable emperor of the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD), and Empress Wang. It was built in 153 AD and covers an area of 20 square kilometers (4,942 acres). It is a magnificent and abundant cultural relic, comprising of the emperor's tomb, empress’s tomb, the south and north burial pits, ceremonial site, human sacrifice graveyard and criminals' cemetery. The mausoleum is neatly arranged, centered with the emperor's tomb, revealing the strict hierarchical social structure. The Outside Pits Exhibition Hall was opened in 2006 and is the first underground museum in China.

14. Hancheng Tour
About 143 miles from Xi’an is the small city of Hancheng, famed as the "Land of Literature and History." Among its numerous historical and cultural relics, Sima Qian Temple, Dang Village and the Confucius Temple are the most appealing.

15. Xianyang Tour
Nineteen miles northwest of Xian, it is an ancient city known to the world as the capital of Qin Dynasty. Its suburbs are scattered widely with mausoleums of emperors and royal families of several dynasties, of which Maoling Mausoleum, Tomb of Crown Prince Yide, Tomb of Crown Prince Zhanghuai and Zhaoling Mausoleum are worth visiting.

16. Yan’an Tour
Yan'an is remotely located in Northern Shaanxi Province on the Loess Plateau. It has been North Shaanxi's political, economic, cultural and military center for hundreds of years. Yan'an is a revolutionary holy place in China, and is most well-known for being the military headquarters of the Chinese Communist Party during the Chinese Anti-Japanese War (1937-1945) and China's War of Liberation (1945-1949).

17. Hukou Waterfalls Tour
The Hukou Waterfalls of the Yellow River are the only yellow waterfalls on Earth. The river narrows and cascades dramatically into a stone pond more than 30 meters below, creating the famous Hukou Waterfalls. The gentle water gains speed as it rushed forward until it cascades over the waterfall, forming an illusion of water being poured from a kettle, hence the name Hukou or “kettle spout". Like a thousand tumbling dragons or enraged animals that have just been set free, the yellow water plunges down and pounds against the stones, echoing like thunder. The most dramatic changes occur during deep winter and early spring when the river surface freezes. Sometimes, the falls freeze into icicles, creating images of crouching beasts on top of the cliffs.

18. Tour to the Mausoleum of Yellow Emperor
The Yellow Emperor was another Chinese tribal leader of remote antiquity. Born close to the Jishui River, he adopted the surname Ji. He once lived on Xuanyuan Hill, so he also adopted that name. It is said that during the time of the Yellow Emperor there were five Emperors: North, South, East, West and Center, each respectively in charge of wood, fire, metal, water and earth. The Yellow Emperor was in charge of earth which was superior to the other elements and fundamental to all creatures. Moreover, because yellow is the color of the earth and Xuanyuan the symbol of earth, he was known as Emperor Huang, or Yellow Emperor.

19. Huxian Farmer Style Painting
Huxian, a small town of about 150, 000 people is a 45 minute bus ride from Xi’an. Huxian is known for having one the two most famous farmer style paintings in China (the other is the Yang Liuqing Chinese New Year painting, in a small town outside of Tianji). This field trip gives students a great opportunity to meet with Chinese folk artists, observe their work, and experience the life style of traditional northwestern China.   

20. Annual Folk Art Festival in Anshang Village
Students will have the opportunity to take part in the week-long folk art festival held in Anshang Village, Shaanxi Province. The festival typically draws over 30,000 Chinese and overseas visitors on the opening day alone. The festival is organized by local farmers and is aimed at promoting and discovering traditional culture and training folk artists.

Extra-Curricular Activities

The Alliance arranges extra-curricular classes which may include Chinese painting, calligraphy, cooking, taiji or other martial arts, seal carving, or paper cutting.  These classes offer a wonderful opportunity to learn more about traditional Chinese culture. Students will also have numerous opportunities to learn about China through extra-curricular activities such as visits to local environmental and cultural preservation NGOs, volunteer opportunities at local orphanages and schools for migrant children, and lectures from local artists, journalists, NGOs, etc.