Who We Are

South Mountain China Tours has grown out of several specialized China tours designed to visit places at the heart of Chinese traditional culture. Our China tour director, Eric Lu, has designed and managed hundreds of China tours that have received rave reviews for price and value from USA travel magazines, newspaperss (NY Times etc) and travel guides.

Andy Ferguson, the general manager of the company, is a widely acknowledged sinologist that has written/translated works on Chinese traditional culture and produced an acclaimed two hour video DVD on Chinese history designed for travelers. Read a review of the "All About China" DVD from the Kyoto Journal." Andy worked as a ex-patriate manager in East Asia for various USA industrial companies and continues to do consulting work for companies setting up ventures, making acquisitions, or selling their products in China. In addition, Andy is well known for his wide ranging and acclaimed talks on Chinese culture and history. He frequently gives presentations to community, business, and educational groups about Chinese business, history, art, folklore, and other topics. He is a well known scholar of Chinese religious culture and the author of Zen's Chinese Heritage: The Masters and their Teachings (reviews). Andy travels to China frequently where he leads South Mountain's tours and carries out independent research on some fascinating facets of Chinese history.

Sometime guide and special company consultant Bill Porter (pen name "Red Pine") is perhaps the most knowledgeable westerner in the world about Chinese religious culture and traditions, having written or translated many books on the subject, plus produced more than 1100 radio programs about Chinese culture that have been broadcast in Hong Kong and Taiwan. Together, Andy and Bill have sought out and found scores of important historical sites little known and seldom seen by westerners, including, for example, the traditional homes of Lao-tsu, Chuang-tsu, Fu-hsi, Bodhidharma, and scores of other famous Chinese historical figures and places.

South Mountain can recommend and help plan trips for all types of organizations interested in China, ranging from school groups to general interest tours, plus specialty tours related to textiles, gardening, art, architecture, and much more. We also provide opportunities for independent travel, providing local guides and assistance on a "as needed" basis.