- Home
- China Tours
- Study Tours
- Xi'an Tours
- City Tours
- Travel Guide
-
Popular China Destinations
-
China Travel Guide
-
- Chinese Culture
- About Us
- Tailor My Trip
Shaanxi carries one of the densest intangible-heritage registers in China, and this programme puts students in the workshops rather than the audience. Every day pairs a master craftsperson with a hands-on brief: clay modelled and fired in the terracotta tradition, shadow puppets carved from donkey hide and then actually performed, window flowers cut with the scissors-and-chisel technique, and mianhua — the steamed flour sculpture that carries Guanzhong ritual life.
The research thread is succession. Students interview the recognised inheritors about how the crafts pay, who learns them, and what the heritage-registration system changes; the findings feed a written report each group composes with instructor guidance.
The week ends with an exhibition of the group's own pieces — every student leaves with work they made and a certificate from the closing ceremony. The programme runs on a 16/20/30-student basis with two accompanying teachers hosted free; all materials, firings, entrances and insurance included.
Morning — Arrival and Check-in
Fly into Xi'an and transfer by private vehicle to the study base for check-in.
Afternoon — Opening Ceremony and Intangible Heritage Lecture
Opening ceremony followed by 'Overview of China's Intangible Cultural Heritage': what counts as intangible heritage, how it is classified, and the state of its preservation today.
Evening — Icebreakers
Intangible heritage themed team games, and study groups form.
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner included.
Accommodation
Study base: standard twin room with private bathroom, air conditioning and hot water
Morning — The Mausoleum Site Museum
Visit the Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum and feel the scale of the World Wonder first-hand, learning about Qin pottery making technique and its artistic value.
Afternoon — Make and Restore
In the workshop, knead clay, shape and carve your own terracotta warrior under professional instruction. Then move to the simulated restoration studio and experience what conservators actually do: piecing fragments back into history.
Evening — Documentary
Watch an intangible heritage documentary and reflect on traditional culture.
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner included.
Accommodation
Study base: standard twin room with private bathroom, air conditioning and hot water
Morning — Huaxian Shadow Puppetry
At the Huaxian shadow puppet workshop, masters teach the history and the craft: hide selection, carving, painting and the mechanics of performance. You carve your own character.
Afternoon — Shaanxi Paper-cutting
A paper-cutting class with a Shaanxi window-flower artist, working from simple patterns to complex compositions. Your finished piece — perhaps your own surname or your Chinese zodiac sign — is yours to keep.
Evening — Shadow Puppet Rehearsal
Group rehearsal: combine the puppets you made during the day with the manipulation techniques you learned and stage a short performance.
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner included.
Accommodation
Study base: standard twin room with private bathroom, air conditioning and hot water
Morning — Guanzhong Flour Art
A mianhua workshop under a master of the craft: sculpt flowers, birds, fish and insects from dough, and learn what each shape means in the life rituals of Guanzhong — weddings, births, birthdays.
Afternoon — Interviews with the Inheritors
Representative masters of shadow puppetry, paper-cutting and flour art come to the study base for face-to-face conversation. Ask them what they earn, how they found students, and why they kept going.
Evening — Writing the Research Report
With instructor guidance, compose your report on how intangible heritage survives in modern society, drawing on the interviews and your own reflections.
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner included.
Accommodation
Study base: standard twin room with private bathroom, air conditioning and hot water
Morning — Exhibition and Closing
Each group shows its work from the week — terracotta warriors, shadow puppets, paper-cuts, mianhua pieces — followed by closing presentations, feedback and the award of completion certificates.
Afternoon — Packing and Transfer
Pack your creations and your luggage, then transfer by private vehicle to Xi'an Xianyang International Airport.
Evening — Departure
Depart for home. Reserve baggage allowance: the puppets and the warriors are bulkier than you think.
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch included.
| Group Size | Adult(Age:8-80) Price/p.p | Child(Age:4-7) Price/p.p | Infant(Age:0-3) Price/p.p |
| 16 PAX | from $943 | / | / |
| 20 PAX | from $890 | / | / |
| 30 PAX | from $819 | / | / |
Published: 13 September 2026 — prices and itinerary reviewed on this date; later updates are shown in the revision note below.
Please read the notes below before you book. They cover entry formalities, pace, weather and what to bring.
Q: Is this tour private or shared?
A: It is a private tour for your own party, with a dedicated English-speaking guide and vehicle.
Q: Are airport transfers included?
A: Yes. Arrival and departure transfers in Xi'an, Shaanxi are included, and your guide meets you with a name sign at the airport or rail station.
Q: Can the itinerary be customised?
A: Yes. Days can be added, removed or swapped, hotel categories upgraded, and business or school visits arranged, all before you confirm.
Q: How do we book and pay?
A: Send us your dates and group size for a same-day quotation. A deposit confirms the booking, the balance is due before arrival, and prices are guaranteed for 7 days.
