In the Footsteps of the Ancestors -
A Chinese Pilgrimage with
Stephen Batchelor, Martine Batchelor and Shantum Seth
12th April to 28th April 2023 (17 days)
Agra Beijing Extension: 28th to 30th April 2023 (3 days)

Buddhapath (Eleven Directions) is 3rd in this august global list (including Plum village and Spirit Rock) of inner journeys in outer spaces. Rating has been done by CNN. Read more...

• ITINERARY

• PLACES TO VISIT

• TEACHER BIOGRAPHY

• COSTS

• REGISTRATION

• IMPORTANT TO DOs after registration

• TRAVEL FACTS

ITINERARY October -November 2022

*Beijing Extension:

*Suggested Detailed Travel Itinerary (Please note that there could be minor changes to the itinerary)

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PLACES TO VISIT

This journey will take us to some of the oldest and most revered Buddhist sites in China.
Over seventeen days, we will travel from early Chan (Zen) monasteries in the subtropical southern province of Guangdong, to the Dunhuang Caves in the desert of Gansu province in the far north, where Buddhism first reached China from India along the Silk Road. We will explore Kumbum, one of the largest Tibetan monasteries in north-west China; the ancient Imperial capital of Xian; the renowned shrines and statues of the Longmen Grottoes; and the sacred mountain of Wutaishan, covered with temples and hermitages that date back hundreds of years and are still active today.
For many centuries these sites have served not only as places of meditation and study, but as important centres of pilgrimage, attracting Buddhists from all over Asia. To honour the spirit of those former pilgrims, at each place we will spend time in silent reflection as well as learning about the historical, religious and philosophical roots of Chinese Buddhism.

Our pilgrimage will allow us to witness what remains of the ancient culture of China, while also experiencing the highly modernised and dynamic country that China has become today. Shantum visited many of these sites in 1982 soon after his brother, Vikram, then a student at Nanjing University, had written his travelogue From Heaven Lake on his overland journey through China and Tibet to India. Stephen and Martine likewise visited some of these sites during a pilgrimage to China in 1985 after they left their monastery in Korea. Shantum was also part of Thich Nhat Hanh’s delegation in 1999, which went to many of the surviving Chan monasteries. Our guides will thus be able to share with you their own impressions of the changes that have occurred over the past thirty-five years. In addition, we shall be accompanied throughout our trip by excellent local guides.

In the Footsteps of the Ancestors will appeal to anyone with an interest in Buddhist philosophy, history, meditation and art, who seeks to experience first-hand the sites that gave birth to China’s unique synthesis of Taoist, Confucian and Buddhist traditions. 

You can extend the journey by three days to visit important sites in and around Beijing including the Forbidden City and the Great Wall of China. Step inside the Forbidden City, a massive imperial palace once home to China’s emperors and the geographic center of this endless metropolis. The gates were shut to all but the royal household and their entourage of eunuchs and concubines for 600 years until, in 1924, a powerful warlord gave the last emperor just three hours to leave.

(Please note that Shantum Seth will only lead the pilgrimage if there is a minimum of 8 registrants. Otherwise it will be led by a person trained by Shantum)

Pilgrimage Sites >>

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TEACHER BIOGRAPHY:

Stephen Batchelor was born in Scotland and educated in Buddhist monasteries in India, Switzerland and Korea. In 1972, at the age of nineteen, he settled in Dharamsala, and in 1974 he ordained as a Buddhist monk in the Tibetan tradition and later traveled to Korea where he practiced as a Zen monk. Batchelor disrobed in 1985, when he moved to Devon, England to live and teach at the Sharpham Community and Gaia House. Stephen Batchelor has synthesized a distinctively Western Teaching style, drawing from multiple Buddhist traditions.  He currently lives in south-west France.

His books include: The Awakening of the West: The Encounter of Buddhism and Western Culture, Buddhism Without Beliefs: A Contemporary Guide to Awakening, Verses from the Center: A Buddhist Vision of the Sublime, Living with the Devil: A Meditation on Good and Evil and Confession of a Buddhist Atheist.
to Awakening, Verses from the Center: A Buddhist Vision of the Sublime,

Living with the Devil: A Meditation on Good and Evil and Confession of a Buddhist Atheist.

 
Martine Batchelor was a Buddhist nun in Korea for ten years. She studied Son Buddhism under the guidance of the late Master Kusan, and after his death she translated his book, The Way of Korean Zen. Following Master Kusan’s death, she returned her nun’s vows and returned to Europe. She is the author of The Path of Compassion, Women in Korean Zen, Let go: A Buddhist Guide to Breaking Free of Habits, and her latest, The Spirit of the Buddha.  She has been active with the Silver Sante Study, teaching meditation, mindfulness and compassion to seniors in France to see if this could prevent ageing decline. She is on the Teacher Council of Gaia House and the faculty of Bodhi College.  She is a teacher who is interested in what works for people and helps them to develop their creative potential for wisdom and compassion for themselves and others.  Martine enjoys photography and art and lives in France with her husband, Stephen Batchelor

Shantum Seth, an ordained Dharmacharya (Dharma teacher) in the Thiền (Zen) Buddhist lineage of Thich Nhat Hanh, is the foremost expert on the sites associated with the Buddha and has been leading pilgrimages in India and across Asia since 1988. He worked with the United Nations for more than 15 years, and was a Senior Advisor to the World Bank and on the Advisory group to the Minister of Tourism and Culture on pilgrimage tourism. He has co-authored books such as Walking with the Buddha and been a consultant for films like BBC-Discovery’s Life of the Buddha and BBC-PBS’s The Story of India. He has been promoting mindfulness in education, with the police, and is setting up a practice centre in the foothills of the Himalayas through the non-profit Ahimsa Trust of which he is a co-founder. Ahimsa, has been deeply involved in Covid relief work in India in the last year.

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COST

In the Footsteps of the Ancestors - A Chinese Pilgrimage with Stephen Batchelor, Martine Batchelor and Shantum Seth April 12 to April 28, 2023 – US$ 8500 based on twin-sharing hotel rooms. The Single room Supplement is an additional US$ 2500

Beijing Extension - Visit the Forbidden City and the Great Wall of China April 28 to April 30, 2023 – US$ 850 based on twin-sharing hotel rooms. The Single room Supplement is an additional US$ 350

The price include: ● Teachings, talks and meditations by Stephen Batchelor, Martine Batchelor and Shantum Seth ● Additional Service of a local English-speaking guide ● Accommodation in selected hotels
● Transportation with driver in A/C vehicle ● Flights and trains as mentioned ● Drinking water during the tour ● Meals (without alcohol) ● Entrance fees for mentioned visits

Our services do not include: ● Camera / video entrance fees ● Laundry, telephone calls and expenditure of personal nature ● Excess baggage charges and airport taxes ● Trip cancellation, travel delay or baggage insurance ● Any other services not mentioned ● Early Check In and Late Check Out ● Visa for China
● Any international flights ● Tips 
International Flights:
You should book your international flight to arrive in Hong Kong on April 12, 2023 between 9am and 8pm.
You should book your departure flight from Beijing airport on April 28 or April 30, 2023 any time after lunch.

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REGISTRATION
A non-refundable deposit of $500 U.S. per person is required at the time of booking.  The remainder of the cost of the pilgrimage is due by January 2 1, 2023. 

CANCELLATION
For cancellations received up to eight weeks before the commencement of the journey only the deposit will be forfeited.  Cancellations received less than eight weeks will be 100% of the total cost.

DISCLAIMER AND RELEASE OF LIABILITY
Shantum Seth and Seth Consultants Pvt. Ltd. while undertaking tours, transportation, hotel accommodation and other services only act on the clear understanding that they shall not be in any way responsible or liable for any accident, damage, loss, delay or inconvenience caused in connection with travel and other facilities arranged by the company, their employees or agents. All bookings are accepted and executed with utmost care, yet no responsibility is taken for any change or deviation on account of factors beyond their control.

By making a deposit for the tour, participants acknowledge that they have read and understood this document in its entirety, and have consented to all conditions herein, including the Disclaimer and Release of Liability.  For participants under age 18, their parent or legal guardian shall sign on their behalf and the same Disclaimer and Release shall apply.

REGISTRATION FORM
Each pilgrim must complete this form in full, and send with a non-refundable deposit of $500 per pilgrim to:
Ms Bina Aranha
Buddhapath/Eleven Directions
309-B, Sector 15A, Noida 201 301, India
Tel: +91-120-4334284; 2511633; 2512162; 2512162
Email: info@buddhapath.com

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IMPORTANT INFORMATION AFTER YOU HAVE REGISTERED 

IMPORTANT NOTES FOR CHINA:

ADDITIONAL TRAVEL SERVICES (e.g. shuttle buses, taxis)
We provide all the transport services during the journey, including having you met at arrival in Hong Kong.  There is no extra charge for meeting people at the airport. 
There will also be a transfer to Beijing Airport for your flight back home.

VISA FOR CHINA:
For tourists, the L visa is suitable.
 

Prepare all documents needed: Documents required for all types of visa include passport and visa application form attached with a recently-taken photo. Besides, other supporting documents are required, but they vary according to the visa type you are applying for. For instance, if you apply for a tourist L visa, the supporting documents will refer to round-trip tickets, hotel bookings or an invitation letter from your China travel agency. See detailed China Visa Application Requirements.
 

Be sure your documents meet the requirements of Chinese embassy or consulate.
Passport: with a remaining validity of at least 6 months; have blank visa pages.
Visa Application Form: truthfully completed; type-written with no blanks left.
Photo: taken within latest six months; full face against a light background; size: 48mm x 33mm; bare-headed unless for religious causes.

Submit the application: Visit the Chinese embassy, consulate or Chinese Visa Application Center (CVASC) which serves your residence area. You can show up in person or ask an agent to do this for you. In some consular offices and CVASCs, mail service is also available.

The normal processing time is four working days including the day you submit the application and the day you collect. Remember there might be additional non-working days for Chinese public holidays. By paying an additional fee you can usually have your application processed faster. It is normally possible to have your application processed overnight, for collection in the following afternoon, though some offices might offer a same-day service if you arrive in the office soon after opening. In general, try to apply for it well in advance to allow for any delay.

Pay the fee and pick up your visa: Go to the place where you apply for China visa on the date appointed at the pick-up slip. Pay the fee and you will get your passport back with visa. See China Visa Fees.
 

Best time to apply for a China visa: The best time to apply for China visa is one or two months before your departure date. Usually, a China visa is valid for only three months from the date of issue, which indicates that the earliest time you can apply is three months before your departure.

ABOUT THE WEATHER:
Spring (March – May)
The spring of the north cities in China is not long and the climate is a little dry and windy. The temperature rises quickly day by day, and the temperature difference between day and night is also very big. In the daytime, it is generally warm enough. Hikers can wear a overcoat, a jacket and a pair of jeans. A pair of walking shoes are necessary and a cap can help to protect from strong wind.

And Hong Kong, Shaoguan will be warmer and according to actual climate, you can even wear a T shirt, so the suggestion is to layer - bring some T shirts and a jacket or coat, so that you can decide to add or not as necessary. 

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TRAVEL FACTS

Power Plugs / Sockets in China

Voltage in China is 220V/50HZ

In Mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau, the common power voltage is 220 Volt 50 Hz AC, but in Taiwan, electronic devices often work with the electricity supply voltage of 110V/60HZ.

Is Outlet Adaptor Needed in China?

As the shapes of sockets and voltage vary among countries, a portable plug adaptor is usually necessary. It can be purchased in your local country from stores like Franzus or electronics stores such as RadioShack and Best Buy. You can also buy it in China.

Chargers of most electronic devices like cell phones, tablets, and cameras can function normally in the wide power voltage of 110~240V. Most hotels ranking above 3 stars in China provide electrical outlets of both 110V and 220V in the bathrooms, though in guest rooms usually only 220V sockets are available.

What Power Sockets are Used in China? There are two kinds of sockets widely used in Mainland China: type A and type I. The type A can also accept plugs of type C or F, which are commonly seen in most European countries.

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