Yan'an, located in the heart of China, is famed as the terminus of the long march and the de facto capital (1936–47, 1948–9) of the Chinese Communists, who established arsenals, several colleges, and a military academy (now a museum) there. For 10 years between 1937 and 1947, the dusty, desolate town of Yan'an in Shaanxi Province was the site from which the Chinese Communist Party consolidated power and spread revolution. It was here that Mao seized leadership of the party and formulated the theories that came to be known as "Mao Zedong Thought."

The appeal of this part of Shanxi is its very austerity -- the cave dwellings, the dry terraced hills, and the yellow loess that covers it all. This part of northern Shanxi was also the location of Chen Kaige's affecting 1984 film Yellow Earth, about the impact on villagers of a young Communist soldier who goes into the countryside to collect folk songs.

Itinerary

Day 1 Arrive in Yan' an / Yan Chuan
One flight per day from Beijing or Shanghai to Yan' an. 
Beijing – Yan' an 11:50-13:30
Drive from Yan' an  directly to Yan Chuan (2hours), where Yellow River and Loess Culture and Art of Shaanxi are well preserved. We will visit farmers' Yellow River Cloth Accumulated Flowers (cloth art) and then tour the Yellow Loess Hill Commune artists'  village; and explore another village to see a blind man story teller and folk papercut. Stay the night in Yan Chuan Hotel.

Day 2 Ansai / Yan' an
Drive to Ansai to join She Huo event - traditional celebration and entertainment for Chinese Lantern Festival when all villagers gather together, build up fires, cook beautiful meals and bring together to hold huge banquets, while enjoying their performance by villagers. Ansai is famous for drum dancers. Villagers wear tied white towels and bind the red drums on waist, and dance together while beating drums.
Return to Yan’an in the afternoon to visit Mao and his communist party' s former headquarters. In the evening, meet Yan’an photographers and have a round table discussion with them on the life and culture in Yellow Loess Plateau area and view their works.

Day 3 Yellow River
Drive to see Yellow River and appreciate the river and landscapes for a whole day and return to Yan'an for dinner and then view the night scene of the famous Pagoda and Yan'an.

Day 4 Fly out
Fly out in the morning