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An Art and Antique Discovery
At the Linden Centre in Yunnan Province
January 14th - 25th, 2010

"There are rest and healing in the contemplation of antiquities." - Mark Twain, Life on the Mississippi

Trip Information

China is an antique and art connoisseur's paradise- a country of exclusive galleries home to some of the finest and most expensive porcelains, ivories, jades and bronzes; a country with a contemporary art market that has seen prices sky rocket over the last five years. China promises every admirer of material elegance and sophistication an unforgettable visit.

China is also home to thousands of isolated villages, pockets of antiquity that still have been undiscovered. These regions present the treasure hunter with cobbed-web attics and dusty markets where thousand year old items sit alongside Mickey Mouse lunch boxes. This is the China that few connoisseurs ever see.

Come with us on a journey into China's past- where daily lectures by renowned experts are followed by dilapidated staircases leading to long hidden Song, Yuan and Ming artworks; where leading scholars of jade and ivory show us what to look for among the thousands of such pieces in the local markets; where textiles are examined insitu before entering Qing homes where they sit nestled in old cabinets; where Buddhist iconography is discussed before viewing old temple paintings in the local galleries. Come with us to our home and leave rested, healed and enlightened.

Art and Antiques Discovery takes place at The Linden Centre in southwest China's Yunnan Province. The nationally-protected villa, former home to one of the Southwest Silk Road's leading merchants, has been restored to its dynastic elegance and forms a perfect base for the appreciation of antiques and art. A rotating group of museum curators, university scholars and gallery owners will present extended, hands-on workshops on various genres of Chinese antiques and art at the Centre, including issues such as authentication, repairs and pricing. Day-trips will include explorations of sacred mountains, functioning temples, ethnic museums, and forgotten villages where guests will be able to see many of the studied works in use or on display.

Brian and Jeanee Linden have owned one of the Midwest's leading Asian art and antique shops since 1995. The Lindens recently became one of the first foreign couples to take over a Type A Cultural Relic in China. They have garnered domestic and international media attention for the refined restoration of one of Southwest China's most important complexes. This elegant retreat is only open to a select group of visitors who participate in the Centre's programming. Come explore behind China's modern veneer and come away with treasures long buried. As Nietzche said, "Of all the mines of treasure, one's own is the last to be dug up.".


"The superior man acquaints himself with many things of antiquity and many deeds of the past in order to strengthen his character thereby." - From the Yi Jing, Book of Changes

Details:

January 14-25, 2010, 12 Days , $4340
Fare includes international flight from LAX to Dali and all domestic travel, all accommodations, most meals, medical travel insurance, and all activities and cultural services. Optional or extra-itinerary activities will be offered at basic costs to those who choose to participate. The Centre hosts 14 double occupancy rooms.

Maximum Group Size: 20

While the Linden Centre can comfortably accommodate 30 people, this group is limited to 20 to ensure that all guests can receive personal attention from the Centre's teachers and the Lindens. Many workshops will be hands-on, thus the lower number of guests will ensure ample participation.

To ensure that all can stay within the Centre, we highly encourage double occupancy with a loved one, friend, or colleague, but can assist in finding you an appropriate roommate. While single supplements are possible, space is limited due to lack of availability within the Centre. All rooms are non-smoking.

Proposed Itinerary :January 14 - 25, 2010

January 14: All guests should have arrived in Kunming on this day. We will meet you at the airport and transport you directly to the four star and centrally-located New Era hotel. We will accompany the early-arriver or anyone else who would like to venture into Kunming for shopping, short sightseeing, or to local cafés before retiring. The hotel is located across from the Bank of China for easy money exchange and ATM access. Kunming's most elegant shopping streets are right outside the hotel's front entrance, including the two major antique markets of the region.

January 15: After a delicious Western buffet breakfast, we will venture out into the three major antique and art markets of Yunnan. The Lindens, who know most of the owners personally, and one of Kunming's leading antique researchers will help answer questions about pieces. After lunch in one Kunming's oldest courtyards, we will attend a workshop on jade and textiles by local scholars. We will have a chance to carefully examine various types of jades, view the different carving techniques and learn about the underground jade trade between Myanmar and Yunnan. A university professor will give a presentation on the textile traditions of some of Yunnan's 25 different ethnic groups. Dinner will be in Kunming's Contemporary Art district and shared with one of the leading gallery owners.

January 16: After breakfast, we will board our bus for a 4.5 hour drive through Yi tribal villages to arrive in the beautiful Dali Valley. After checking in at the Linden Centre, we will take a short walking tour of old Xizhou. A special welcome dinner will be prepared by the Centre’s two chefs.

After a delicious Western buffet breakfast, we will visit the Yunnan Museum with its antiquities curators and they will introduce us to the unique decorative elements of the region's antiques and artwork. We will have a chance to go behind-the-scenes to see pieces as they are being prepared for display. An expert will discuss the business of producing fake antiques - how they are produced, by and for whom.

After lunch in one of Kunming's oldest courtyards, we will take a four hour bus ride through the Yi-inhabited mountain villages to reach the Dali Basin. Dinner will be at the Centre and will include a lecture on the history and traditions of the local Bai people.

January 17: An early morning lecture will focus on early ceramics in the Yunnan region, followed by a walking tour of the Linden Centre, examining its many antiques placed within the complex, and of Xizhou, its antique shops and hidden attics. The Linden Centre has an extensive English language library of books on Asian antiques and contemporary art. Guests will have a chance to use these books throughout their stay.

Dinner will be followed by a performance by a local Bai music group.

January 18: Today we will visit the largest regional market- Shaping. We will tour the market with local Bai people. The market has a range of collectibles, antiques, foods, dried goods, items for temple offerings and visits some homes that have antiques. A private morning visit to the Dali Provincial Museum to view their extensive collection of Yuan and Ming ceramics and stone carvings.

After lunch and the museum visit, we will adventure to the old walled city of Dali, we will explore the town's numerous antique and art galleries. In three galleries, we will receive special presentations on their unique pieces which include: Folk Art, Stone antiquities, and Theravada Buddhist carvings from the regions surrounding Myanmar.

January 19: After breakfast, we will travel two hours south to visit the ancient monasteries dotting Wei Bao Mountain. We will share lunch with a group of monks in a Taoist temple, and spend late afternoon exploring the old town and antique shops in the Muslim town of Weishan below the mountain. Wonderful Muslim breads will accompany our trip back to Xizhou for an evening dinner.

January 20: Today will be a day to personally explore the surrounding villages of Xizhou. The Lindens will be able to accompany guests to the renowned batik making village of Zhoucheng to observe centuries' old courtyards used for batik making. Guests can also revisit some of the surrounding attics, shops or temples. All guests are also encouraged to work with our renowned chefs, follow them to the market to buy vegetables, watch them as they prepare each meal. A late afternoon horse cart ride will take us to the Lake Er Hai for wine and snacks before dinner.

January 21: Today we will travel to the World Heritage Site- Lijiang Village. We will stop for lunch in the old Tea Horse Road village of He Qin to explore the little-known antique shops nestled among its ancient alleys.

We will make our way through the winding streets of Lijiang to arrive at the Dong Ba Cultural Center. The Lindens' close friend, a long-time student of the Naxi's Dong Ba religion, will guide us through the only remaining teaching center for this UNESCO protected tradition. The Dong Ba pictographs are one of the few remaining picture scripts still in use in the world. The Dong Ba are priests who oversee the religious traditions of the Naxi people.

We will stay in the 4-star Wang Fu Hotel and have a wonderful dinner alongside one of Lijiang's crystal-clear streams and continue to explore the many galleries and antique shops.

January 22: Today we will take a short trip south of Lijiang, taking another route to the great bend of the Yangtze River for wonderful photos at Shigu crossing. We will cross through the Jianchuan Valley, having lunch at a fish farm nestled alongside a pristine spring below the mountains. We will walk through the old city of Jianchuan, receiving a lecture on the renowned wood carving and black pottery traditions of the valley. We will also visit an old kiln site still in use.

We will spend the evening in Shaxi village, one of the major caravan stops along the old Tea Horse Road, in a restored merchant's courtyard.

January 23: After a morning visit to the famous Buddhist grottoes at Shibao Mountain, we will drive back to Xizhou arriving in time to spend a relaxing early afternoon lunch at the Centre. We will spend the rest of our day back in Old Dali, purveying the stone and marble cutters that are famous worldwide and learn how marble has impacted Bai culture.

For dinner, we will have a delicious tea tasting and vegetarian dinner in a pristine courtyard establishment, followed by a night out on the town for those who wish it.

January 24: This is our last day in the Centre. As you take the time to reflect and organize your discoveries and purchases, we will organize private in-room massages in the afternoon and small, final walking tours of Xizhou. A farewell dinner will be cooked by our chefs with your favorite foods that you have sampled throughout the tour and some new ones too. We will have a question and answer session and be able to share our photos and stories over wine and tea. There will also be a final traditional Bai music accompaniment with our evening reception.

January 25: On this day, our program ends. After breakfast, guests will be driven to the Dali airport in time for your connecting flight through Kunming to your origin or next destination. Extended stays can certainly be arranged at the Centre, or we would be happy to help plan a further visit throughout China.

Summary:

What — 12 day cultural excursion in Yunnan, China.

When — January 14th – January 25th, 2010

Who — Anyone who wishes to experience the romanticism and spirituality of the true China. The traveler who hopes to experience many different facets, customs and culture of Yunnan.

Cost — $4340 Includes all domestic travel after arrival in Kunming, all accommodations, most meals unless specified, medical travel insurance, and all activities and cultural services. Round-trip, international airfare to Kunming from LAX is included. The Centre hosts 14 double occupancy rooms. Single supplement is an extra $500. Medical travel insurance is provided in the price via AIG TravelGuard.

Additional costs — Guests are also responsible for their own Chinese visa, costs related to alcohol, beverages not included in regular meals, laundry, personal items, souvenirs, and long distance telephone calls. Trip interruption and cancellation insurance. For this insurance, refer to tour contract

Group Size — Our tour groups are limited to fewer than 25 people due to the size of the Centre and to ensure that all participants receive more personal attention from the staff. Our minimum group size is 5 people; we reserve the right to cancel any tour if the minimum size is not met. All rooms are non-smoking.

Reservations — Call 920-388-4391 or email info@barnsitegallery.com. Non-refundable $500 deposit. Pay your deposit online here.

The Lindens have been living in China since 1984. Their twenty-plus years of contacts will ensure that all participants see and experience aspects of China unknown to other visitors. For most of their previous guests, the experiences throughout these regions of China have been among the most memorable in their lives. Please come and enjoy an indigenous travel experience to one of the world's most storied cultures.

How to reserve space for the tour:

Call 920-388-4391 or email info@barnsitegallery.com for more details on how to reserve space while there are still spots available.

Download your registration packet.

Pay your deposit online.