Confucian Rites, Zen (Chan) & Taoist Tai Chi — Shaolin · Qufu · Wudang (7 Days)

At dawn on a mountain ridge, your first breath settles into a Tai Chi stance as the clouds blush with light. By noon in the pines of Shaolin, a short walking-meditation makes every leaf and footfall audible. At dusk before the Confucius Temple in Qufu, a bowstring hums—ritual and heart fall back into rhythm.

This is not a sightseeing checklist. It’s a learnable way of living that links China’s three wisdom traditions:
• Confucian rites rebuild order and respect in daily relationships;
• Zen (Chan) returns you to the present, calm and clear;
• Taoist Tai Chi turns softness into power and balance.

The journey is low-altitude, low-intensity, small-group and runs year-round (we simply avoid China’s peak public holidays). Guided by a cultural host, you’ll practice brief, accessible exercises each day and carry them home.

Take-home practice cards: 1-minute Tea Courtesy, 3-minute Walking Meditation, and 15-second Cloud Hands.
Note: “Tea Courtesy” includes the discreet finger-tap thank-you used in Chinese tea etiquette (叩指礼).

Context & facts: Shaolin Monastery (Dengfeng, Henan) • Qufu Confucius Temple (Shandong) • Wudang Mountains (Hubei; UNESCO World Heritage since 1994). Most activities are below 1,700 m, so altitude stress is unlikely.