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Journey to China with the MAA on its 4th Mathematical Study Tour

June 6 - June 21, 2006

Arrive in Beijing and transfer to the Tianlun Dynasty Hotel.

The morning will begin with breakfast and an orientation including "survival tips" and answers to frequently asked questions. We will board an air conditioned coach for Tian'anmen Square and have a guided tour of the National Museum of Chinese History which will provide an overview of the history of China from Xia, Shan, and Zhou dynasties (2200-70 B.C.E.) to Communist China and the Cultural Revolution. We will have lunch at the Fangshan Restaurant - located in Beihei Park - which is known for its Imperial cuisine. The afternoon will be devoted to viewing special collections on mathematics at the Palace Museum and having a guided tour of the Forbidden City. Dinner on your own and evening at leisure.

We will travel by coach to the Institute for the History of Natural Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences for a meeting with senior professors and their graduate students working on the history of mathematics and be guests for their presentations on traditional Chinese mathematics and its applications in astronomy, surveying, and practical problems of government administration. A visit to the library to view rare collection of Chinese mathematical textbooks will be followed by lunch at the Sichuan Restaurant. The afternoon will be spent exploring the Ancient Beijing Observatory where astronomical instruments illustrate how Western mathematics was introduced to China. Dinner is on your own followed by transport to The Peking Opera performance at the Liyuan Theatre.

This morning we will have a guided tour through the Temple of Heaven built in 1420 for the emperors. It is closely related to these rituals about agriculture, astronomy, and determination of the seasons, involve mathematics and the calendar. We will travel through the Hutong neighborhood by foot and pedicab. Lunch will be on our own in this area. The afternoon will bring us to the Chinese Museum of Science and Technology where we will view the special section on Chinese science and mathematics. This evening's dinner will be at the best and most popular Peking Duck restaurant in Beijing, Chef Dong's Roast Duck Restaurant.

Today we travel to the Great Wall at Mutianyue and board a cable car to a place along the Wall that rides a crest of mountains. We will travel to and tour the Ming Tombs that have 13 mausoleums of the emperors of the Ming dynasty. We leave for the Beijing Airport for a flight to Hohhot in Inner Mongolia. Meet our guide and transfer to Bingyue Hotel. Dinner on our own and evening at leisure.

The day beings with a city tour of this largest city in Inner Mongolia and guided tour of the Inner Mongolia Museum. Dinner is on your own and evening is free.

The day begins with lectures and discussions of ancient Chinese mathematics with a member of the Institute for the History of Science at the Inner Mongolia Normal University. Today's focus will be on the periods of the Song, Yuan, and Ming dynasties (960-1644 A.D.) The morning will also include a rare chance to see the private library of Professor Li Di, famous for its collection of traditional Chinese mathematical texts. We will have lunch at the University and learn of the contributions of Mongolian science and technology in modern China. The day will conclude by touring the University's small but informative museum. Dinner on our own and evening free to explore the city.

The morning and early afternoon is at leisure before transfer to the airport for an afternoon flight to Xi'an. A guide will meet us and transfer us to Shangri-la Golden Flower Hotel. Dinner is on your own and the rest of the evening is free to explore the city.

This morning we will depart for the famous Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses excavation site. We will visit Pits 1,2, and 3 and tour the Bronze Chariot Museum. Lunch will be served at the Museum Restaurant. We arrive back in the early afternoon for rest. This evening, we will sample the famous dumplings of Xi'an at the Defachang Dumpling Restaurant - an historic and popular site.

The day will consist of a comprehensive guide of the city, which served as capital for eleven dynasties. During the prosperous Tang dynasty the "Ten Classics" of ancient mathematics were collected and provided with commentaries for the purposes of study for the imperial examinations and for teaching at the state university. We will tour the Shaanxi Provincial Museum, visit the Forest of Stone Stele Museum, the Great Mosque, and Old Town Quarter, Big Wild Goose Pagoda, and the Ming Period City Wall. Lunch will be on our own as is dinner and the rest of the evening.

A lecture in the morning at the Northwest University in Xi'an will encompass the mathematical methods employed in ancient Chinese calendars. We depart for Shanghai and are met for transport to the Portman Ritz Carlton. A stroll on the Bund and dinner at Tan Wai Lou Restaurant where we will have terrific views of the Huangpu River.

After breakfast, we will travel by chartered bus to Suzhou, Venice of the orient. We will be guided through the Master of the Nets Garden, visit the Silk Embroidery Research Institute, and tour the old city fortress and water gate. Lunch will be on our own before seeing the North Temple Pagoda and Humble Administrators Garden. We return to Shanghai in time for dinner on your own and getting ready for a performance by the Shanghai Acrobatics Troupe.

This morning we will visit East China Normal University for a lecture on traditional Chinese mathematics and its relation to modern Western mathematics given by one of the outstanding experts on this subject in China, Professor Zhang Dianzhou. Lunch will be on our own before an afternoon guided sightseeing tour and stop at the Shanghai Museum which has the finest collection of Chinese art in Asia. Join your traveling companions at the China mainland farewell dinner at the M on the Bund Restaurant.

We will depart for Hong Kong this morning and be met by a guide for transfer to the Regal Kowloon Hotel. The rest of the day and evening are free to explore Hong Kong.

After breakfast, a half-day guided tour of the city is planned will include a ride on the tram to Victoria Peak. A dim sum luncheon will be served after a ride on a sampan through the floating village of Aberdeen.

Departure transfer to airport. Bon Voyage.