Our list of activities are incorporated into a Theme stay and can be custom added during a Short Stay.
Producing an exhaustive list of the many experiences available through the Centre would simply not be possible and our menu of activities is updated regularly. We strive to connect guests to the flow of village life, and take care to maintain a degree of flexibility and spontaneity day-to-day.
Below is a selection of these experiences, which range from tours, hands-on experiences, educational programs, facilitated interaction with locals, to volunteer opportunities. Also, some activities may depend on the weather, which is almost always mild and spring-like, but can be variable at times. For instance, the summer months see a slight increase in rain.
Bringing modern conveniences to the complex was challenging. A one-inch wide pipe was the only water flowing into the property. Electrical capacity was limited to a few overhead lights. The roofs leaked, the walls were cracked, and fire prevention measures - a prerequisite for our taking over the complex - were non-existent. Culturally sensitive issues such as placement of bathrooms, wall and ceiling colors, and traditional spaces of honor added to our challenges.
To help you envision what your time at the Centre will be like, we have documented here a few typical 'days-in-the-life' with us. Note that the extended Immersion programs have set itineraries that correspond to each area of focus.
After an early breakfast, we will travel two hours south to the mystical Wei Bao mountain, famous for its combination of Taoist and Buddhist temples circling its peak. On our trip through this region we pass many unique mosques. We will spend part of the day at the foot of Mt. Wei Bao in the old Tea and Horse Caravan stop of Weishan. This ancient village is inhabited predominantly by the Hui (Muslim) people, and features one of the finest Drum Towers in all of China. We will have an enlightening lecture on regional Islamic traditions, before enjoying a delicious lunch eating the ‘world’s longest noodles’ on Weishan’s old walking street. After lunch, we wander along Mt. Wei Bao’s hand-hewn stone paths and explore the breathtaking, archaic temples that are literally carved into the mountainside. We will share tea and enjoy a facilitated discussion with resident monks, before stopping back in Weishan for a chance to shop for local crafts before returning to a gourmet dinner at the Centre.
Guests enjoy a full American and Chinese buffet breakfast and leisurely cup of fresh Yunnan coffee on the garden terrace. We take a short ride to Shaping, one of the region’s most colorful markets just north of Xizhou. Here, Bai and Yi ethnic traders meet to exchange their wares in an expansive outdoor bazaar. The Shaping market is renowned for its variety, and the animated rows of vegetable, meat, basket, flower, and fabric vendors are sure to startle the first time visitor. The group will walk the market with local Bai tribal ladies, who will also escort us into several old homes nearby to search for antique treasures and have tea with the locals. Many of the artifacts found in such attics date back to the Song Dynasty. Lunch will be at a Bai ethnic restaurant, followed by a stop in a neighboring village famous for its tie-dye fabrics and traditions. We spend time in the home of a local family who has been producing these textiles for seven generations. They walk us through the manual textile process handed down to them from their ancestors. Dinner will include many of the foods we saw in the market this morning, and our renowned chefs will explain each dish to our guests. After dinner, guests continue discussions over drinks in the bar, catch up on email, or retire early.
Today we give our guests the chance to bask in the old village charm of Xizhou. We begin with a walking tour of the village, spontaneously stopping in some of the many pristine architectural sites that showcase the unusual Bai style of building. We stop to taste the local Xizhou pizza, a culinary specialty known throughout southwest China, and also experience the “three-course tea ceremony” in an ornate historical mansion. A local farmer escorts us through his produce fields, and we come to understand from him the economic shifts he has experienced in a rural part of a larger, dynamic marketplace. We sample a bit of his fruit and vegetables before our next stop with young students at a local kindergarten. The Chinese education system is very different from Western system, which we observe first-hand. The children share with us some traditional songs, and we share a few stories and even some basic English phrases with them before saying a cheerful ‘goodbye.’ Before dinner, we take horse-carts to the “Tongue of the Lake” for pre-dinner drinks and snacks overlooking the pristine Lake Er and the Cang Mountains.
During breakfast, guests enjoy a presentation on traditional Chinese medicine and herbology from a professor at a local university. We venture out from the Centre and take a nearby cable car ride
up the beautiful Cangshan mountains, accompanied by our mentor who points out the types of plants local tribes collect for health and medicinal benefits. Lunch is at a private fishery and exclusive restaurant in the foothills that typically hosts only government groups. Beside the sparkling ponds, we enjoy some of the best sashimi outside of Japan as we are joined at the table by government and cultural leaders for an insider’s view of local politics. The afternoon is open, and guests can either relax in our gardens and meditation room or schedule a treatment of acupuncture or traditional massage. If so inclined, we can take guests on a short walk to a local Buddhist temple, where they can give back to the village by assisting with its cleaning and restoration. Dinner is followed by a performance by local Bai musicians and dancers in our secluded courtyard under the stars.
These selections show the deep, meaningful experiences we offer from our village base in Yunnan. We are continually seeking out enriching encounters into which our guests are immersed, allowing travelers to come away understanding and appreciating this unique area and its people.
