We will enter China through the legendary city of Shanghai and check into our hotel to rest from the long flight. 

 The next day we will visit Shanghai; one of the fastest growing metropolises in China.  Modern Shanghai is noted for it's fine restaurants, towering skyscrapers, scenic river views, fabulous markets and a cultural life like no other.  We will visit the famous Shanghai Museum and view the magnificent collection of Chinese porcelains.  Explore Shanghai's art gallery district. Walk the old city.  The evening will end with sumptuous Shanghai cuisine.

 

 

The next morning we will climb aboard our private air-conditioned bus for a drive into China's heartland to Yixing the home of the famous little brown teapots.  We will arrive at Yixing with time to visit the tea pot market before we check into our hotel at Dinshan.  The next day will find us being hosted in the homes and studios of master Yixing teapot makers. Our hosts will talk and demonstrate their craft along with a copious serving of the traditional tea ceremony.  The evening will be topped off with a meal of Yixing cuisine, shared with the local artists.

 

The next day we depart for Jin County with a stop at Taoyao village where traditional pottery has been made during the last 500 years.  The next day we depart for Taiping, a village north of the famous Yellow Mountains.  We will stop along the way to visit a traditional rice paper making village, and yes you will be able to purchase these fine hand made papers.  The following day will find us visiting markets looking for treasures and touring some old Ming villages.

 

The next leg of our voyage will be across the Yellow Mountains to Jingdezhen the city famous for their creations of blue and white porcelain.  We will settle in our hotel, downtown Jingdezhen and spend some personal time wandering about exploring the area.  We will arrive in Jingdezhen in time to participate in the opening of the 2008 Jingdezhen International Ceramic Expo, and where we will attend exhibition openings, workshops and a welcoming party at Sanbao.

Our visit to Jingdezhen will allow us to enjoy the International workshops and the studio experience at the Sanbao Ceramic Working Village.  We will participate in workshops with International artists attend demonstrations and listen to lectures from the International masters.  We will visit the famous traditional porcelain factories and studios that dot Jingdezhen walk the streets of the old city and hunt down antiques and objects of great beauty.  Our stop at Jingdezhen will also allow us to take a day trip to the famous village of Yaoli and Gaolin mountain, to visit the original porcelain kiln sites and to dine on the Yaoli cuisine.  Perhaps we will have the time to stop, taste and purchase the celebrated local green teas.

 

 

After a great visit to Jingdezhen we will catch a bus to Nanchang and then fly to Central China to the city of Taiyuan. We will visit the Taiyuan provincial museum and visit the ceramic program at Shanxi University with Jiping.  We will gel a taste of the famous Shanxi Noodle dish during our evening dinner party. The morning after we will take a bus to Datong and visit the Yunguan Shiku,(Cloud Ridge), caves the site of many Buddhist statues and also visit a local Buddhist Temple.  Our travels in this area will also take us to the portion of the Great Wall that dates back 2000 years.  We will also have the opportunity to visit the villages in and around the area.  While in Taiyuan we will visit the Shanxi black pottery studio and tour local pottery villages. A trip to Pingyao, one of the Ming towns under UN protection, is planned, where we will visit the old city. 

 

Our experience will end with a flight to Shanghai for a rest, shopping and and superb cuisine.   The following morning we will take our bus, along with our treasures and memories, to the Pudong Airport to catch our flights home. 

 

 

 

The group organizer, Kevin Grealy,  
 

Kevin was born in Australia and completed his education at Alberta College of Art and University of Calgary, Canada. He has taught in Secondary and Tertiary Institutions and has worked as  a consultant to the heavy clay industry in Australia and Vietnam. He has also worked as a design consultant in Taiwan.
 
Kevin's work is represented in major Australian galleries, including National Gallery of Australia in Canberra and the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney. He has also participated in several group exhibitions in P R China. Kevin is a frequent writer for Ceramic Journals and his work is featured in several International publications. He was an International Advisor for Jingdezhen's Millennium of Porcelain Celebrations and Ambassador to the City of Jingdezhen.
 
The "Taste of China" tour in October will be Kevin's 7th trip to China in eight years.

 

The group leader, Wendy Li,  She is the CEO of the Sanbao International Ceramic Institute, who has traveled extensively through out China and the USA. 

  

 

 

   The 2008 China Australia Ceramic Exchange Program will be hosted by:

Jingdezhen Sanbao Ceramic Art Institute  

Kevin Grealy of Austrailia

 

 

 

 

     The cost for this program is $Y16000.00, (double occupancy), and includes all domestic flights and transportation in China along with hotels, meals, workshops, and symposium studio spaces and materials as well as assistants and English and Chinese translators. (Based on current rate of exchange.  If the dollar decreases in value, additional costs will be charged.)

      Not included are international airfare, overweight baggage, visa and medical travel insurance.

      If you are interested in the tour and wish to request more detailed information,
 please email Keven Grealy at: kevceram@hotmail.com or Jackson Li at: sanbaostudio@hotmail.com of your interest. We will email you an itinerary and answer any question

The tour is customized for not more than 18 persons and will require a degree of physical fitness.

There is still space available as of 06 May 2008

Itinerary

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