Day 1 Qianling Mausoleum, Famen Temple

07:30: Meet your local representative early in your hotel lobby and begin to explore the grand Northwest Xian.

Your first sight today is the Qianling Mausoleum located in Qian county, 85km northwest  of Xian city (80 minutes drive). The Qianling Mausoleum is a joint tomb for a Tang dynasty imperial couple Li Zhi and his wife Wu Zetian, who later usurped the throne and crowned herself as the only empress in Chinese history. This tomb is famous for its many stone statues and the mural paintings decorating the subterranean walls of the tombs. Surrounding the main tumulus mound of the two hosts are 17 smaller attendant tombs  housing imperial families or ministers, 5 of which have been excavated while the others remain untouched. Li Zhi was the third emperor in the Tang Dynasty, who inherited his father Li Shimin’s legacy of ‘Reign of Zhen Guan’ and created a short period of ‘Reign of Yong Hui’. By then the Tang Dynasty was in its prime when the society was inclusive, people were well-fed and well-clothed, and governing was comparably liberal. When Li Zhi passed away, his sons Li Xian and Li Dan ascended the throne successively for short periods before Wu Zetian began her adventure in reigning. She contributed a lot in making the dynasty greater. On this short trip, you will understand how she ruled and what later generations said about her merits and demerits.

11:30 - 12:30: Your guide will take you to a featured Qianxian county restaurant and taste authentic Qianxian food, which is a bit different from Xian food.

13:30 - 15:30: After lunch, you will hit the road again and head for the Famen Temple. The Famen Temple is located in Famen county’s Baoji City, about 110km from Xian. Dating back 1800 years it enjoys a reputation as the Ancestral Temple of Guanzhong (central Shaanxi area). The temple was originally built in the Eastern Han Dynasty and in later dynasties underwent several name changes, until it was finally named the Famen Temple in the Tang Dynasty and served as an imperial temple. It has became the ‘Holy Land’ for Buddhism because the temple houses the fingers bones of Sakyamuni. On this trip, you will be immersed in the spirit of Buddhism.

17:00: Hotel drop-off.