As ever, we thoroughly enjoyed hosting the terrific BCIS students and their teachers and are already looking forward to ECW 2013! A big thanks to all the teachers from BCIS for once again choosing The Hutong!

A big thanks to CIS’s Todd MacDonald for organising the Grade five trip with us for the second year running. We look forward to welcoming CIS back in the near future.

Starting in the city of Chengdu, we first get our bearings by participating in the Chengdu Amazing Race. This challenge will require skills in teamwork, communication, orienteering and problem-solving. While in Chengdu we will also visit the Panda Base, where we will hear from local experts and learn about the plight facing the Giant Panda and its habitat. Together, we will explore new scientific methods to help the preservation of species and examine the dangers of extinction and its effect on our whole ecosystem. We will then partake in our first school exchange at a local culinary school, where students will guide us in making hand-pulled noodles. Our next destination will take us to the stunning scenery of Emei Shan. We will be hiking to monasteries, where we will live with monks for two nights. Our final destination will take us to our second school exchange, with students from the renowned Kung Fu School of Emei Shan giving us Wushu Kung Fu classes.

Key Concepts:

• Biology, Survival or Extinction: Exploring issues of extinction and endangered species by examining the case of the Panda.
• Cuisine: Learning a local culture through its cuisine and participating in cooking classes and culinary programs.
• Culture: Exploring culture through martial arts, and fostering an exchange with local martial arts students.

We will travel to Wuyi Ecological Mountain Reserve, home to one Fujian’s most idyllic eco-systems. We will hike through stunning scenery to tea plantations high in the hills in search of the famous Yan Cha (Rock Tea). We will stay with local tea farmers in local village guesthouses. We will emerge from the foothills of Huanggang Mountain and head south to explore roundhouses and the traditional lifestyles of the Hakka People. Here, we will learn about the history of the Hakka and their migration routes through southern China and beyond, and examine their unique form of architecture: the roundhouse fortresses. For extended trips, we will then move onto Xiamen to explore a very different style of architecture from another group of migrants: the foreigners from the West. Gulangyu Island’s bustling and car free streets offer a peerless glimpse into the colonial past of one of China’s most influential ports. Our final destination will bring us along the coast to the beautiful walled city of Chongwu, home to a matriarchal society. We will explore the history and sociological reasons that led to this social structure, and examine how they live today amidst modern influences.

Key Concepts:

• History: Examining the age-old village traditions in rural Fujian, the opulence of colonialism and the stunning architecture of Gulangyu Island.
• Social Anthropology: Examining the existence of matriarchal societies and rural ethnic minorities, as well as issues of migration and colonialism.

On our Comeback Tour, we will retrace the beginnings of Mao’s mythical Long March, originating in Jiangxi in October 1934. Students will examine this transformative slice of Chinese history as we travel along some of the most rustic and breathtaking landscapes of Southern China. Jiangxi – known for its mountains, for its Southern Hakka architecture and for the warmth of its people – will give students unique insights into China’s recent history. We will visit the terrain where the Red Army – surrounded by the Nationalist army of Chiang Kai-Shek – started a strategic retreat that became known as The Long March. One notable stop will be a visit to Jinggang Mountain. Jinggang is considered the cradle of the Chinese revolution, visited by Mainland tourists suffering from so-called “red fever.” We will also explore a time further back and examine China’s philosophical and religious history. Jiangxi is immortalized in Chinese heritage as the birthplace of Taoism. Students will be introduced to Taoism, its origins, and its religious and philosophical school of thought. We will visit Mount Longhu and the many temples along its mountainside, and participate in activities with local Taoist monks.

Students will return home with a deeper understanding of China’s recent and ancient history, and its philosophical and spiritual origins. We will visit Jiangxi’s most stunning scenery – including the mysterious hanging coffins of Mountain Dragon, the unforgettable vistas and landscapes with lush mountains, the pristine streams, green valleys and blue skies.

Key Concepts:

• History and Politics, with a focus on Leadership: Exploring the origins of Modern Communist China and the famous ‘Long March.’
• Religion and Philosophy: Exploring the origins of Taoism and its influence within ancient and modern Chinese society.

The trip will start at the foot of Huang Shan (Yellow Mountain), with a hike up to the top and descending down the back slope to arrive at the celebrated Maofeng tea farms, where we will learn about tea processing by getting hands-on helping at a local tea plantation. We will continue our journey by navigating through the small mountains and hills surrounding Huangshan to explore the traditional homes and lifestyles of the people who produce its famous tea. We will discover how small communities subsist by producing tea and how this affects the local environment and ecology. Staying at local guesthouses in Hongcun, a village founded in 1131 and where the famous film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was shot, we will explore the beautiful small townships, focusing on the architecture of their buildings and on how the traditions and history they represent can be preserved. Our final hike will take us from the base of the mountain to the top where we will enjoy 360˚ panoramic views of the surrounding hills and settlements.

Key Concepts:

• Architecture: Exploring the uniqueness of Anhui Feudal Township Planning and Architecture and how best to preserve traditions and culture through preserving architecture.
• Tea Agriculture: Studying tea cultivation and the tea industry: how growing tea has changed and how it affects the environment.
• Eco-Tourism: Examining how millions of visitors per year are affecting a pristine area of natural beauty.

Welcome to The Hutong Education. Beijing’s premiere cultural exchange centre combines its extensive background in travel and tours with its expertise in education to offer unique and creative programs for International Schools, Universities and Inbound Study Programs. Our experienced and passionate staff are what makes our programs extraordinary and we welcome you to explore China.

Click here to find out more about our Educational Programs.

As a sustainable business, The Hutong actively engages with other ethical businesses and organizations that contribute to long-term sustainable development in the regions where we travel. Our ethos is: “Leave a small footprint and a big impression in the minds and hearts of the people in the places you visit.” We set this expectation on all of our trips, and it is amazing to see how well students in the International School System respond.

Our chopstick challenge is an example of how we try to leave our small footprint: Did you know that 50 billion pairs of disposable chopsticks are used every year in China alone? If the number scares you as much as it does us, you would agree that we can all make a difference. We try to raise awareness in students to restrict waste, and – as part of our efforts to promote sustainability – we show and explain how overuse and neglecting to recycle everyday items effects us all.

At the start of every trip, we issue every student and teacher with a sustainably forested pair of chopsticks. We stress the importance of everyone bringing their chopsticks to their meal, and it is the responsibility of every participant on our trips to utilize these chopsticks for every meal. It’s a small difference, but it’s also a very practical way to keep a tally on the potential waste that just one person can create.

Rarely do we ask the questions: Where does our food come from and what are we eating? We explore these seemingly innocuous but extremely important questions from the farm to food during a visit to an organic farm that, though just a 90 minute drive outside Beijing, is a world away. We talk with students about the principles of agriculture, the importance of good food, as well as sustainable farming practices. We also offer students a hands-on opportunity to plant seeds, pick vegetables, feed animals, even make their own salad! More than just a good time, this trip allows students to understand how we feed ourselves and live off the land, and explains and highlights the connection between us and the food on our plates.

At The Hutong’ we offer a range of interactive, educational, unique, and fun activities to students and school groups of all different ages. Our interactive programs are designed to broaden participants’ understanding of Chinese culture and allow them to experience an authentic side of China. We aim to adapt our programs and work closely with schools and teachers to create customized cultural activities for various Grade Levels and subject areas. By incorporating grade and subject-specific learning targets into the design of our onsite and offsite excursions, The Hutong strives to offer top-notch activities that are engaging and relevant.

Click here to find out more about our range of onsite cultural programs that we run from our traditional hutong courtyard in the heart of old Beijing.

Click here to read more about our China-wide programs; Sustainable Development Trips to Inner Mongolia; a Historical and Urban Development Tour to Dalian; The Pu’er Bicycle Challenge in Yunnan; Team Building and Leadership Camping Trips at the Great Wall, and more.

Click here to meet our Leadership Team.

We look forward to working with you to create exceptional cultural experiences for your students.