From its cosmopolitan ports and ultra-modern cities to its ancient heartland to villages where diverse ethnic groups have participated in the cultural mix of China for centuries, China is a land of extraordinary cultural and historical breadth.
The 2019 Heartland and Borderlands Religious Study Tour of China will focus on Chinese Catholics who share in and contribute to the life of their local communities in a range of cultural settings in China. Interested participants can view the study tour itinerary below or visit https://www.uscatholicchina.org/tour-2019sw.
Those who cannot participate in 2019 can drop me a brief note to be kept informed of similar events in 2020.
TOUR LEADER
Michael Agliardo, SJ, Ph.D.
Executive Director of the USCCA and research scholar, department of sociology, Santa Clara University.
ITINERARY
The 2019 Study Tour runs from May 11 to May 26. It includes:
Hong Kong, a liminal space where Chinese culture and the global order interpenetrate.
Xi’an, near the site of the capital established by China’s first emperor.
Chengdu, capital of Sichuan Province, famed for its pandas, its spicy cuisine, and its venerable cultural roots.
Chinese Shangri-la (香格里拉), surrounded by the mountains of Yunnan, site of some of China’s most dramatic scenery, and many of its minority communities.
Cizhong Catholic Church, a Tibetan Catholic parish in the foothills of the Himalayas;
Kunming, capital of Yunnan Province, and seat of one of the bishops who recently reconciled with the Holy See;
Guangzhou, one of the economic engines of southern China.
APPLICATION
Apply by January 15 for priority consideration.