china.ysu.edu masthead

Sichuan

Parts of Sichuan province were destroyed when a magnitude 7.9 earthquake hit southwest China, in May 2008. We will tour the devastated area near Dujiangyan to see the seismic destruction first hand, and pay our respects to the lives lost.

We will hike from head to toe and back to the top of the 233 foot high Giant Buddha of Leshan. Located at the confluence of the Minjiang, Dadu and Qingyi rivers, it is the largest stone carved Buddha in the world.

Emeishan is the tallest of the Four sacred Buddhist Mountains of China. Its massive volume of volcanic rock have been proposed as a contributing factor of the mass extinction that ended the Permian Period. Our hikes will explore the geology, Buddhist Temples and the monkey valley populated with Macaques indigenous to Emeishan. These monkeys are inquisitive and will try to steal hats, sunglasses and anything not tied down.

Located within the temperate bamboo rainforest, the Ya'an panda preserve is within the natural habitat of the Giant Panda. You will spend one day volunteering at the preserve, cleaning enclosures, hauling bamboo and feeding pandas. We'll learn about panda paleoecology and present day threats to the survival of this remarkable species.

Sichuan cuisine is world famous for its spiciness. You'll get to sample it at an authentic Sichuan Hot Pot Restaurant.