Ancestral Homecoming Retreat
Rest, Reconnect and Remember Who You Are
Our Next Cohort:
May 24-30, 2026
A 7-day, 6-night retreat in Dali, Yunnan for the Chinese diaspora community to reclaim your wholeness through ancestral wisdom, embodied ritual, and ecological nourishment
Come Home to Your Wholeness
Rest:
We invite you to return to the land of your ancestors. To the peaceful foothills of Cangshan Mountain, where wildflowers bloom beside ancient temples and crisp mountain air carries the wisdom of the lineage.
We’ll gather as seekers, wanderers, leaders, and wisdom-keepers of the Chinese diaspora. To experience a way of being with ease and flow that lives deep in our bones, yet has been forgotten through distance, assimilation, and time.
Together, we’ll step onto sacred land, a mystical yet familiar realm that gently help us remember how we are meant to feel, and who we are meant to be.
Reconnect:
You’ll begin the day in rhythm with the land. Through practices rooted in our lineage: movement, stillness, tea, and food as medicine, we nourish our qi and come back to the resource in our bodies.
The day unfolds with grounding rituals, spacious rest, fun excursions, and deep connections, all held in Yunnan, the most biodiverse and fertile land in China.
You’ll slow down, soften, and simply be. Together, we’ll find our way back to the ancient art of productive rest and radical chilling. We will find our place rooted in wild soil, and remember the rhythm of our collective heartbeat.
Remember:
There is a reason you feel the pull.
As descendants of dragons, we carry ancient codes in our DNA.
Genetic memory, timeless wisdom, and an ancestral trust fund of soft power and quiet resilience.
When we return to our roots and the ancestral land where we come from, something powerful reawakens. The threads begin to weave back together.
What once felt fragmented becomes whole.
Where your spirit can finally e x h a l e.
Come if you’re ready to reclaim your natural rhythm.
Come if you long to remember the ancient ways.
Come home to yourself, with us.
I’m walking away with so much appreciation for the ancient, wild, and indigenous wisdom of those who came before us.
What stood out to me is how embodied and earthy this learning has been, something I rarely experience back in the States. I've discovered a gentle, grounded strength in the way we moved our bodies through daily cultivation practices, in time spent in nature, picking tea on the farms, and in conversations with elders.
Michelle, Mom of 2 + Tech Executive
3rd Gen Singaporean/Chinese American
I felt welcomed and rooted. I felt like I can belong here without having to prove or be or speak or look or move a certain way.
I was looking to deepen my connection with the sacred. Of all the practices we explored, the very last one was actually something that I was conditioned not to do. Yet I gave it a try. In turn, I received vivid visions where I got to meet my ancestors in different stages of their lives. Witnessing the rich layers of their humanity, I felt a deep sense of reverence and gratitude for our complexity. The good, the bad, and the ugly, all of it is gift and sacred.
Chrislyn, Community Leader
2nd Gen Malaysian/Chinese American
I would absolutely do it again.
One of the biggest shifts I’ve noticed is that I feel more comfortable expressing the Chinese part of me, something I had always held back or even hidden from my peers in the U.S. This retreat gave me permission to reclaim that part of myself.
Grace, Traditional Chinese Medicine Doctor
2nd Gen Chinese/Taiwanese American
What to Expect
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Movement & Healing Arts
Feel deeply grounded and transformed each morning as you engage in traditional Chinese Yang Sheng (养生), nourishing life practices. We will learn Taiji /Qigong led by led by a Daoist Maste of the Zhengyi lineage, as well as exploring the art and dao of Calligraphy, Meditation, and Tea Ceremony.
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Nature Excursions
Embrace the beauty of the land we bike around Erhai, dance in Cangshan, and pick and roast fresh tea on a local tea farm. Our nature excursions will deepen your connection to elemental wisdom and allow you to receive support and blessings from the land itself.
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Process & Sharing Circles
We will have facilitated containers to hold space and help you integrate your reactions, emotions, thoughts and experiences. We will become each other’s mirrors and delight in honest laughters, heart-opening stories, and affinity in our shared vulnerability and learning.
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Song & Embodiment
Through song circle, movement, and release, we gather to reconnect with our bodies and each other. Let your body soften, loosen, and let go of what no longer serves you. You may be surprised by the power of somatic and energy release practices, and by the joy of singing and moving freely in community with fellow Chinese diaspora and local Chinese friends.
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Ancestral Ritual
Learn the foundational principles of ancestral work and take part in a collective ritual to honor your lineage. Together, we’ll acknowledge the unseen influences that shape your life’s path and open to the guidance and blessings of kind and well ancestors, so you can walk forward with clarity, support, and alignment with the life you’re meant to live.
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Co-Creative Community Magic
The most fun of our community comes from each of you, bringing unique stories, songs, and histories to co-create this sacred space. We welcome you to bring your own unique flavor and offering to our activities. Together, we make magic.
Who is this Retreat for?
This retreat is for Chinese diaspora adults who are…
🌿 Seeking Inner Alignment
Has achieved "external" success but craves deeper fulfillment and alignment within
Is exhausted from hustling, rushing, optimizing, comparing and feels disconnected from your life energy
Wants to learn how to truly care for and resource your body, mind, and soul
Is a teacher, helper, leader, coach, practitioner etc. that wish to incorporate more life-sustaining and wholeness-cultivating practices to your work
🤝 Longing for Community and Belonging
Struggle to find a sense of belonging and feeling unrooted
Is feeling burnout and longs to recharge and revitalize in nature and community
Is seeking a soul tribe community of like-minded folks of shared cultural lineage
Is exploring your way of serving something bigger than yourself, which include your people and a more extensive Earth community
🐉 Feeling the Call of Ancestral Wisdom
Feels called to explore Chinese ancient movement and healing arts
Is curious to integrate ancestral wisdom into your daily and seasonal practices
Is tired of focusing on what’s wrong instead of developing your inborn capacities and embodiment of health, wealth and wholeness
Wish to access more of your innate power and unlock your birthright as a descendant of the Dragon
🦋 Open for Magic and Transformation
Has Dali, Yunnan on your bucket list and is ready to experience its magic
Wants to let go of old patterns that keep you feeling stuck and start a new chapter of your life
Feel the call to mend cultural and societal wounds that have kept you from feeling whole, worthy, and valued
Is ready to re-wild your way of living through ancestral and eco-spiritual ways
We welcome all members of Chinese diaspora community:
The Chinese diaspora (华人 huá rén) includes people of Chinese ancestry living outside mainland China, whether you're adopted, of mixed heritage, 1.5 or 4th generation, born abroad or born in China and recently immigrated.
Adoptees
People who were adopted and seeking to connect with your Chinese roots
Descendents of Immigrants
2nd, 3rd, 4th etc generation, longing to reconnect with your cultural heritage
1st or 1.5 Generation Immigrants
People born in China, now living far from your ancestral land
Mixed Heritage
People navigating a complex cultural identity and seeking connection with their Chinese lineage
Our workshops and experiences are inclusive, integrative, and non-dogmatic, welcoming individuals from all political, spiritual, and religious backgrounds
We aim to support each participant's emotional processing and journey, while also empowering everyone to take ownership and responsibility for their own learning experience
No experience with the Chinese language or prior knowledge of Chinese culture is required. English translation will be provided
Our Guiding Principles & Approach
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Authentic and Living Wisdom
China holds a vast reservoir of traditional wisdom that could only be felt and understood through embodied experiences. We serve as a bridge, reconnecting English-speaking overseas Chinese with the visceral tastes and textures of this heritage. Through sharing our personal process, partnerships with local teachers and immersive experiences in nature, we bring this wisdom to life, honoring its depth and multidimensionality.
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Safe Container for All Parts of You
Our spaces, led by Xuel, a Psychotherapist, and Tian Tian, a Holistic Wellness Coach, are thoughtfully designed to foster safety, authenticity, and acceptance. We welcome dialogues that acknowledge our systemic, generational, and cultural patterns with compassion and empower you to have agency and resourcefulness in your self-renewal journey.
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Decolonization & Honoring Indigenous Wisdom
We stand against cultural appropriation in the healing industry, grounding our work in integrity and respect. After extensive field research, we carefully selected our collaborating local healers, farmers and venues, bringing forth experiences that represent authentic culture and indigenous wisdom.
Sample Schedule
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Day 1
Afternoon:
Welcome Tea Circle & Check-in
Opening Circle
Night:Dinner
Authentic Relating Games
Rest -
Day 2
Morning:
Tai Ji & Qi Gong
Breakfast
Process Group or Morning Workshop
Optional: Meditation, Tea & CalligraphyAfternoon:
Lunch
Excursion to Tea FarmNight:
Dinner
Fire Song Circle -
Day 3
Morning:
Tai Ji & Qi Gong
Breakfast
Process Group or Morning Workshop
Optional: Meditation, Tea & CalligraphyAfternoon:
Lunch
Excursion: Cang San Forest Bathing & JournalingNight:
Dinner
Ecstatic Dance w/ Locals -
Day 4
Morning:
Tai Ji & Qi Gong
Breakfast
Process Group or Morning Workshop
Optional: Meditation, Tea & CalligraphyAfternoon:
Lunch
Excursion: Chinese Medicine Learn & ExperienceNight:
Dinner
Somatic Release + Sound Bath -
Day 5
Morning:
Tai Ji & Qi Gong
Breakfast
Process Group or Morning Workshop
Optional: Meditation, Tea & CalligraphyAfternoon:
Lunch
Excursion: Temple & Rituals 101Night:
Dinner
Ancestral Honoring Ceremony -
Day 6
Morning:
Tai Ji & Qi Gong
Breakfast
Process Group or Morning Workshop
Optional: Meditation, Tea & CalligraphyAfternoon:
Lunch
Excursion: Er Hai Biking & Expressive ArtNight:
Dinner
Somatic Release -
Day 7
Morning:
Tai Ji & Qi Gong
Breakfast
Sharing Circle
Closing Ceremony
Afternoon:Lunch
Check-out
Offering
What is included:
Accommodations: 7 day, 6 nights of accommodation either single or double occupancy with private bathrooms, AC, wifi, laundry
Food, snacks and tea: 20 meals over 7 days, primarily vegetarian meals that are locally grown (dietary restrictions will be generously accommodated), snacks and high quality, locally-grown tea
Activities: All excursions and transportation fees during retreat
Support: Private chat group, pre-retreat preparation call & post-retreat integration call
What is not included:
Plane tickets or other transportation fees to/from retreat
Visa fees
Travel insurance
Personal activity costs
Payment & Logistics
Our cost philosophy is based on accessibility, quality and sustainability.
Payment Option 1: Pay in full ($300 off Earlybird Discount until 9/12/25)
Payment Option 2: $500 non-refundable deposit to reserve your spot. Remaining balance due on or before April 1, 2026.
Coming with a friend? Choose the double room and each of you will receive an additional $300 off.
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Please note: This retreat is limited to 10-16 participants. All participants must align with the retreat’s general guideline and are equipped with skills for self-responsibility and group learning to get the best benefit from this retreat. This retreat is not a replacement for professional therapy, psychiatric care, or trauma treatment. We are not a tour group or a service-oriented experience. Participants are expected to engage actively, take responsibility for themselves, and contribute to the group experience. If you are currently navigating severe mental health challenges, PTSD/CPTSD, or deep unresolved trauma, we strongly encourage you to continue working with your therapist or healthcare provider in conjunction with or prior to joining us. To ensure that everyone gains the most benefit from this retreat, you will have a 1:1 discovery call with us and be asked to complete an intake form or during the check-out process. If we determine that this retreat may not be the right fit for you at this time, we will issue a full refund.
Single Bedroom
Regular: $3,288
Early Bird: $2,988 (until 9/12/25)
Shared Bedroom
Regular: $2,888
Early Bird: $2,588 (until 9/12/25)
Bring-a-friend Regular: $2,588/person
Bring-a-friend Early Bird: $2,288/person (until 9/12/25)
Wanna meet Tian Tian and Xuel and hear our past participants share their transformative story? Watch our 8/17/2025 info session!
About the Retreat Center
Our retreat will be hosted at a premier, secluded and private Zen style retreat center nestled in the foothills of Cangshan (苍山) in a serene village in Dali, Yunnan (大理云南), overlooking Erhai Lake (洱海). The center features a private courtyard with beautiful water pools, peaceful and spacious common dining space and areas for tea ceremonies, music, taiji and meditation, along with comfortable accommodations that offer ample space for everyone to relax and rejuvenate.
Right next to a local temple emanating with incense aroma and surrounded by beautiful mountain view, this venue provides the best backdrop for deep reset and meaningful connection. It also provides peaceful walkways to nearby villages and easy access to hiking trails. During our retreat, we will enjoy the privacy of this entire venue. Together we will meditate under an ancient ancestral tree, drink tea picked in local tea farms, dance until our bodies are loose and hearts open, and immerse in conversations that form lifelong friendships.
About Dali, Yunnan China
大理云南
Nestled between the majestic Cangshan Mountains (苍山) and the tranquil Erhai Lake (洱海), Dali (大理), also known as Dalifornia, is a spiritual and cultural hub known for its breathtaking landscapes, rich biodiversity and diverse cultural traditions.
Home to 25 Chinese ethnic minority groups, Dali embodies a rich heritage interwoven with Daoism (道教), Buddhism (佛教), and indigenous and Chinese folk religions (本土教). Dali’s unique inclusive vibe has fostered a holistic community drawing seekers and travelers from China and overseas/ As the birthplace of tea, Yunnan holds a profound tea culture rooted in Pu'er (fermented tea). Yunnan’s biodiversity also nurtures a rich tradition of using local herbs in traditional Chinese medicine (中药), making Dali a place where nature, healing, and culture come together to inspire deep reflection and connection.
Meet Your Hosts: Xuel and Tian Tian
We created Ancestral Homecoming because we couldn’t find what we needed as Chinese Diaspora seekers.
This offering is rooted in our lived journeys: two women of Chinese-ancestry who met on a meditation retreat in Bali and walked together through life transitions, intergenerational healing, and the search for deeper purpose through professional and spiritual growth.
What began as friendship blossomed into a shared calling: to create a nourishing and sacred space where members of the Chinese diaspora can lay down the weight of hyper-productivity, release internalized pressure, and gently return to the body, to the earth, to the inner child, to play, and to the quiet strength of ancestral connection.
Since 2022, Xuel and Tian Tian have been weaving spaces of regenerative restoration, group containers where we shed internalized burdens, reclaim our rhythm of aliveness, and remember that belonging is a birthright.
Ancestral Homecoming is not a journey of becoming something new.
It is a return to what has always been yours.
Xuel (pronounced as “shoo-well”, @xuelsun, www.xuelsun.com) is a California-trained, China-based bilingual psychotherapist and workshop facilitator with over seven years of experience in emotional healing, trauma and embodied spirituality.
Born and raised in Nanjing, China, in a family impacted by historical and intergenerational trauma, Xuel’s journey led her to come to the U.S. alone at age 17 in pursuit of educational growth. This path included establishing her identity in California, transitioning from a software engineer at Salesforce to a professional in the healing arts, and recently moving back to Asia to answer a new calling.
She holds a BA in Computer Science from Claremont McKenna College, and MA in Integral Counseling Psychology from California of Integral Studies. Her biggest teachers are the earth mother that awakened her ancestral and indigenous soul. As a way-shower and cycle-breaker for lineage healing, she aims to serve the earth community by weaving together ecological and collective healing, social change, magic and the arts.
Tian Tian (@tiantianwellness, www.tiantianwellness.com) is a Holistic Wellness & Transformational Coach dedicated to creating spaces for deep emotional and spiritual healing.
Born in Dalian, China, Tian Tian immigrated to the United States at age 11. Navigating the complexities of being caught between two cultures left her feeling ungrounded and struggling with cultural and identity wounds, driving her to seek validation through external achievements. She earned her bachelor’s from New York University and MBA from Harvard, and built a successful 10+ year career on Wall Street and in Silicon Valley, yet these accomplishments left her unfulfilled.
This realization sparked a journey of profound healing, where Tian Tian addressed cultural, immigrant, and intergenerational trauma. Through restorative, somatic, and ancestral healing practices, she learned to regulate her nervous system and reconnect with her roots and the voice within. Today, Tian Tian uses transformative healing tools to guide others in finding a sense of home within themselves, reconnecting with their bodies, hearts and inner wisdom to live with greater authenticity, joy and ease.
FAQs
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Fill out this interest form
Either Tian Tian or Xuel will reach out to have a 1:1 chat
If there is a mutual fit, we will send you a direct link to book
Please also come to our info session 8/17 7pm PT or watch the recording. You can sign-up here
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Arrival on May 24th, 2026: To get to our retreat center, you could either fly into Dali (DLU) or Kunming airport (KMG) and then transfer via train or taxi/uber. The retreat center is approximately a 60-minute drive from Dali Airport or 35-minute drive from Dali Train Station. To make your arrival as smooth as possible, we can help you arrange transportation from the airport or train station to the retreat center. If you'd like to arrive in Dali a bit early, simply meet us at the retreat on May 24th. You are welcome to arrive at the retreat property anytime after 3 PM, ideally between 3–5pm, with Opening Circle starting around 5pm and dinner being served around 6pm.
Departure on May 31th, 2026: Check-out is around 2pm, with lunch served from noon-1pm on the final day. Please note that lunch will be the last meal provided. -
To enter China, you’ll need a valid passport with at least six months of validity beyond your planned departure date. U.S. citizens need a visa to stay in China for tourism purposes. Please check the latest entry requirements for your passport.
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A non-refundable deposit ($500) is required in order to register and reserve your spot.
Our cancellation & refund policy:
No refund for cancellations made within 45 days or arrival date
50% refund for cancellation made 45-60 days before arrival date
80% refund for cancellation made more than 60 days before arrival date
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You know yourself and your energy level the best. While we do ask you to respect our container and fully participate to get the most out of the entire, we also understand that you might need to honor your needs and take care of yourself under certain circumstances.
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We would love to make this experience accessible for anyone who would like to join. You are invited to let us know what kind of installments you would like. We can do 2 installments or 3 installments. Unless arrangements are made for special circumstances, we ask that all fees be paid by April 1, 2026.
Why This Retreat Is Unlike Anything Else
There are many retreats out there. There are many ways to explore Yunnan, China.
But this one is different.
We’re the only transformative retreat designed for the Chinese diaspora, a journey to explore your roots, regulate your nervous system, and reconnect with your wholeness on the land.
We’re the only retreat that combines qi cultivation an practices, embodiment activities, land-based healing, processing groups and ancestral rituals.
We are the only retreat that is designed to reconnect you with Chinese ancestral wisdom somatically, emotionally, spiritually and ecologically.
| Feature | Ancestral Homecoming Retreat | General Wellness Retreats | Chinese Tour Groups |
|---|---|---|---|
| For Chinese diaspora only | 🪷 Yes | 🪨 No | 🍃 Rarely |
| Embodiment & Land-based healing | 🪷 Yes | 🍃 Sometimes | 🪨 No |
| Daily movement practice | 🪷 Yes | 🍃 Sometimes | 🪨 No |
| Held on ancestral land (Yunnan, China) | 🪷 Yes | 🪨 No | 🍃 Could be |
| Ancestral rituals | 🪷 Yes | 🪨 No | 🪨 No |
| Immersive cultural excursions (beyond touristy spots) | 🪷 Yes | 🍃 Sometimes | 🍃 Sometimes |
| Diaspora-centered processing group | 🪷 Yes | 🪨 No | 🪨 No |
| Integration support for identity & belonging | 🪷 Yes | 🪨 No | 🪨 No |
| Co-creative community magic | 🪷 Yes | 🪨 No | 🪨 No |
What if coming home to yourself began with reconnecting with your deepest roots?
