Adopted Chinese children from 90 American families attended a welcome ceremony in Beijing on Wednesday, marking the start of their root-seeking journey, which will feature a whirlwind of tours to China's ancient relics.

The adopted children, aged from four to 18, have been invited to return to their birthplace or orphanage and attend activities that would help them have a better understanding of China, an unnamed official with China's Ministry of Civil Affairs told Xinhua.

Most of the adopted children are from China's southern provinces of Jiangxi, Hunan and Guangdong as well as Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

Together with their parents, the returning orphans have a fully-packed schedule including visits to China's most renowned places of interests.

Ellen Doolin, a mother of five adopted Chinese, said the trip to China would help the parents see for themselves the lifestyle their children once lived before leaving for the United States.

To help orphans have the best family, China's door was open to the outside world in the past, said Dou Yupei, vice minister of civil affairs.