February 12, 2021 marks the start of the Year of the Ox in the lunar calendar. Those born in this year are honest, positive and hard-working. Journeys Unparalleled hopes that this year brings you positivity, prosperity and good wishes, and we would like to wish you a happy Lunar New Year, gung hay fat choy, chúc mừng năm mới, saehae bok mani badeuseyo, akemashite omedetou gozaimasu, and xin nian kuai le!
To help us ring in the year, we’ve invited two impressive historians to speak exclusively to Journeys Unparalleled’s clients and friends about China’s most iconic landmarks: The Great Wall and The Forbidden City. Both are UNESCO World Heritage Sites, both are actually comprised of multiple structures, both are replete with mystery and myths, and both — at least the ones we’ll be discussing — were built in the Ming Dynasty (1368 – 1644). Do the similarities end there? Join us for one or both of these interactive talks to find out:
Interactive Great Walls Discussion with David Spindler, China – Tuesday, Feb 16, 2021
3:00pm Pacific time / 6:00pm Eastern time, 1 hr 15 mins
What is a Great Wall? Where are there Great Walls? How long are they? What was their purpose? What were they made of? Were there ghosts on them? What did raiders and soldiers eat? How did people send signals?
These are short questions, but nearly all of them have not been answered well. Please join David for an interactive discussion appropriate for all ages about these and other questions. We will focus primarily on Great Walls during the Ming (1368-1644) Dynasty.
David is an independent historian who spent over 10 years of his life studying the Great Wall. He has published articles in scholarly journals in the U.S. and China, and he has collaborated with the photographer Jonathan Ball on “China’s Great Wall: The Forgotten Story,” a series of oversized photographs of Great Wall battle sites that has so far been exhibited in New York, San Francisco, and Palo Alto. David has been profiled by Peter Hessler in the New Yorker, has appeared on the Today Show, and has been featured in two Discovery Channel documentaries. He holds an AB in Asian Studies from Dartmouth College, an MA in history from Beijing University, and a JD from Harvard Law School. He currently lives in the greater Washington, D.C. area and works for a proxy advisory firm. Read more on David and his motivations here: Interview with Great Wall Expert David Spindler.
This will be an interactive, seminar-style session co-hosted by Margot Kong of Journeys Unparalleled and Guy Rubin, founder of luxury China tour operator Imperial Tours. Guy will start the session with a brief introduction before handing it over to David who will share with us the history and secrets of the Great Wall through photographs and bust or confirm some of the myths and stories you’ve heard. This talk will not be recorded so please be sure to make time in your schedule to join us live…it is not to be missed!
Minimum 11 households (no maximum)
$50 per household
This event will take place over GoToWebinar. To register for the event, click HERE. Send payment to @JourneysUnparalleled via Venmo or Paypal, or contact us for credit cards payments (415) 915-5218.
Inside the Forbidden City, Discussion with an Historian – Thursday, Feb 18, 2021
4:30pm Pacific time / 7:30pm Eastern time, 1 hour
Few places are more mysterious or exciting than Beijing’s Forbidden City – a sprawling imperial palace that was home to China’s emperors for nearly 500 years. But what really happened inside its walls? With its rich cast of characters and everything from lavish celebrations to full-blown battles taking place within, there are plenty of great stories to sink our teeth into. This is a great introduction to one of China’s most important buildings.
Our expert is a beloved Beijing-based historian, teacher, writer and expert guide who brings the sights of the capital to life by sharing his extensive research and vivid storytelling, as well as being a charismatic commentator on contemporary China. His essays and articles have appeared in The Economist, South China Morning Post, Asia Society/China File, Los Angeles Review of Books and other publications.
This will be an interactive, seminar-style session co-hosted by Margot Kong of Journeys Unparalleled and Sam Braybon of luxury China tour operator Bespoke Travel. Sam will start the session with a brief introduction before handing it over to to our expert.
Minimum 10 households (no maximum)
$45 per household
Email us with questions or to RSVP: margot@journeysunparalleled.com. Send payment to @JourneysUnparalleled via Venmo or Paypal, or contact us for credit cards payments (415) 915-5218.
If you’re interested in learning more about other virtual tours or interactive online sessions we offer, visit: Traveling at Home: A Virtual Getaway Series.