Now is an excellent time to consider Shanghai or Beijing for your next business meeting, event or incentive. These two cities offer world-class hotels, spacious meeting/dining facilities and fantastic leisure pursuits at a fraction of the price found in other international destinations. Take the Peninsula Shanghai for example. On a price per square foot basis, this award-winning hotel comes in at just under a fifth of the cost of the Peninsula Paris.  » Read more »

Beating drums urge the rowers on as a multi-colored crowd cheers from the shore. The oarsmen stare straight ahead, sitting within boats with glowing eyes, willing themselves to win and therefore bring luck and good fortune to the cities they represent. Zongzi, or pyramid shaped sticky rice dumplings, are tossed into the water as the Dragon Boats fly to the finish line continuing an almost 2,000 year old tradition. June 20 marks this year’s annual Dragon Boat Festival,  » Read more »

What’s the latest craze in China? Apparently marathons. In 2010 the Chinese Athletic Association held a total of 12 official running events; in 2014 there were 53, with marathons representing the majority, according to an article written by South China Morning Post. While China is often characterized as pushing economic and industrial boundaries, a recent surge in athletics proves there’s more than just machines grinding. Many Chinese cities are now hosting running races as a way to showcase their landmarks and increase revenue,  » Read more »

Stone door houses, or shikumen, line long and narrow alleyways as if trying to contain some secret. Locals hang their laundry out of windows above the various cafes, art studios, and craft stores held inside the shikumen, as mesmerized shoppers shuffle between shops. The aromas of Indian food, Moroccan food, and Chinese food all fuse with the bohemian atmosphere that permeates this little slice of city life. This place is Taikang Lu. Originally providing inexpensive space for art galleries and media companies,  » Read more »

In recent years, tennis has emerged as one of the most prolific sports in China, on both a professional and amateur level.  This can be credited to the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the relatively new emergence of high ranked players throughout Asia, and China's investments in the grassroots of tennis. Only within the past 10 years have Chinese tennis players rose to prominence. The success of tennis stars like now-retired Li Na,  » Read more »