Living Wisdom
An embodied journey into the ancestral ways of Fujian
Experience an ancient Chinese worldview through living traditions, across two UNESCO World Heritage landscapes and the historic Hakka village of Peitian.
A Worldview of Interconnection
At the heart of Chinese cosmology is an understanding that has shaped a civilization for millennia: 天人合一, the inseparability of human life and the natural world.
Rather than seeing life in isolation, this worldview understands everything through relationships: human and nature, self and community, past and present.
Modernization has transformed many of the contexts these traditions once lived in. Yet in parts of rural Fujian, this ancestral wisdom remains tangible, woven into daily life through architecture, ritual, food as medicine, craft, and the bond between people and land.
Living Wisdom is an invitation to encounter it through the places, people, and practices that still carry it. Come experience another way of seeing and living.
Explore the journey →
Two Ways
of Experiencing
Yin and Yang describe a dynamic relationship between complementary forces: inner and outer, stillness and movement, self and world. Throughout the retreat, we experience both as one continuum.
Living Wisdom
- Body & breath
- Nourishment
- Senses
- Reflection
- Relationship
- Creativity
Arising
Living Systems
- Water & land
- Food & agriculture
- Medicinal plants
- Architecture & Tulou
- Village ecology
- Local production
Inner and outer shape one another.
Three Places, One Living Cosmology
Across Fujian, the same relational worldview takes different forms.
Immersed in village life, experiencing ancestral wisdom through food, medicine, craft, community, and the rhythms of everyday life.
Here, wisdom is lived.
Step inside these earthen communal homes and see worldview become form: center and edge, individual and collective, dwelling and land.
Here, wisdom is built.
Mountains, water, tea, and temples. We slow down and deepen our attention, letting tea and landscape become our teachers.
Here, wisdom is cultivated.From Four Directions
A small group from different backgrounds, connected by a shared curiosity about how we might live differently. This journey may be for you if…
- You're a global citizen curious about Chinese wisdom and ways of life, from cosmology, food as medicine, and tea to ecology, community, and regenerative living.
- You want to learn through embodied experience, not only intellectual concepts, by walking, making, tasting, practicing, and spending time where these traditions are still alive.
- You're part of the Chinese diaspora and long to reconnect with the land, culture, and ancestral traditions your family comes from.
- You're an artist, maker, or creator who wants to be inspired by a different way of being, then integrate what you experience through your own form of expression.
- You value slower, more intentional ways of traveling and gathering, with space for reflection, meaningful conversation, and connections that keep unfolding after you return home.
We arrive from many directions and gather around a shared question: how might we live more deeply in relationship with ourselves, one another, and the world around us?
The Five Elemental Journey
Across five days in Peitian, each day takes on the quality of one of the Five Elements, with its own sensory doorway and way of experiencing the land and traditions around us.
Scroll sideways to see all five days →
After Peitian, the journey opens into Wuyishan for three quieter days of tea, mountain, reflection, and integration.
Choose your journey
All prices are per person and include lodging, every meal, in-country transport, guiding, and every workshop and activity. Not included: flights to Fujian, travel insurance, and personal expenses.
Complete Journey
Peitian Immersion
Add the Wuyishan extension for just $999 more.
Traveling together
As a pair: save $250 each ($500 off) when two share a room. Couples, friends, or siblings.
Family or group of 4+: save $400 each ($1,600 off for four) across shared rooms.
A $500 deposit secures your spot; the balance is due 60 days before departure. Spots are limited to keep the group intimate.
Yappo & Tian Tian
Yappo
[ Short bio: Yappo's connection to this land and its people, and the way of working that treats each village as a partner. ]
Tian Tian
[ Short bio: Tian Tian's practice rooted in ancestral Chinese wisdom and the craft of holding space where people can truly arrive. ]
Questions before you come
Which airport do I fly into?
Fly into Xiamen (XMN) in Fujian, China, where the journey begins.
How do I get to Peitian?
From Xiamen, you'll take the high-speed rail toward Peitian, and someone from our team will meet you at the station to help with the final leg to the village. We'll share recommended trains and arrival times, and help manage the logistics, as we get closer to the date.
How long is the retreat?
The complete journey is 9 days, 8 nights (Peitian + Wuyishan). Peitian only is 6 days, 5 nights (Dec 25–30). The Wuyishan extension adds 3 days, 2 nights, and includes the 6th night's lodging plus transportation from Peitian to Wuyishan.
How big is the group?
Small, with up to 8 guests, so the experience stays personal and everyone is truly met.
What language is the retreat in?
English, with Chinese interpretation where needed.
Where will we stay?
Village guesthouses in Peitian and mountain lodging in Wuyishan, comfortable, characterful, and rooted in place. You can choose a shared or private room.
What's included?
Lodging, three meals a day, tea and snacks, in-country ground transport, guiding, and every workshop, activity, and entrance.
What's not included?
International flights to and from Fujian, visa, travel insurance, and personal expenses.
Can dietary needs be accommodated?
Yes. Meals are largely plant-forward and locally sourced, and we can accommodate vegetarian, vegan, and most allergies or restrictions with advance notice. Let us know when you book.
Come experience another way of seeing and living.
We gather a small group in the last days of the year to meet an ancient worldview where it still lives. If it's calling you, we'd love to have you with us.