Huainan Travel Recommendations for 2024 (Updated in May)

The Call of Shouxian

April's early morning is picturesque, as the earth awakens gradually in the morning light... The horizon, where the glow of dawn interweaves with the twilight, creates a dreamlike palette, like the overture of life being played across the land. Cloaked in the light of dawn, we leave the ancient city of Jinling by car, embarking on a journey to explore the brilliant splendor of the ancient city of Shouxian. Shouxian, formerly known as Shouchun, Shouyang, and Shouzhou, is located at the southern foot of Bagong Mountain, on the banks of the Huai River, and beside the Fei River. Its long history and enduring culture seem to call out through time, guiding us towards the ancient city... From afar, the ancient city walls that have stood for a thousand years are like an elderly person, steadfast through spring, summer, autumn, and winter, through cold and heat, always there, narrating to passersby the ancient tales of iron horses and golden spears, and the rise and fall of dynasties. Every brick and tile here seems to whisper those ancient histories, leading us into a world filled with mystery and legend... Entering the Chu Culture Museum, the profound sense of history hits us. We listen quietly to the stirring stories that took place in the ancient city of Shouxian, touching our hearts, attempting to piece together fragments of 'Li Sao' and 'Nine Songs' from the relics. The unearthed artifacts, each a treasure, proclaim to the world the once-richness and prosperity of Shouxian. We dare not hope to share a toast with the 'King of Huainan', but we long to find the secret of making white jade tofu in the texts of 'Huainanzi', a quest for culinary culture exploration and pursuit. Every inch of this land, every breeze is filled with dramatic stories. 🌟 Highlights: Under the moonlight, we stroll on this ancient land, feeling the silent sigh of 'The moon of today does not shine on the people of the past, yet today's moon once illuminated the ancients.' The beauty here is not only in the scenery but also in the profound history and the warmth of human kindness. The most beautiful scenery in April is in Shouxian. Let us delve into the ordinary alleys of this ancient city together, to experience its history and culture, to savor its cuisine and charm. Together we seek the colorful charm of Chu and Han styles, to feel the most beautiful April days on earth...

The ancient city wall of Shouxian in Anhui

The city wall has a circumference of 7147 meters, with a height of 9.7 meters, a base width of 18-20 meters, and a top width of 6-10 meters. The area within the city is 3.65 square kilometers. The foundation of the wall is built with large stones, the middle of the wall is compacted with clay, and the outer wall is covered with oversized blue bricks. The gaps between the bricks and stones are filled with a mixture of tung oil, glutinous rice juice, and lime mortar. On the city wall, there are 'enemy towers' and 'alarm towers', and along the top edge of the wall, there are 'crenels', which are low walls with battlements.

Exploring Ancient Flavors, Shouxian Welcomes Spring

【Introduction】: Shouxian Ancient City, located in Huainan, Anhui, has a history that can be traced back to the Song Dynasty. With its majestic ancient city walls, lively folk activities🎉, and mouth-watering delicacies😋, it is a great place to experience the traditional atmosphere of the New Year. 🛬【Travel Itinerary】 It is recommended to visit for 1-2 days. On the first day, you can tour the ancient city walls and Bao'en Temple, and watch the lanterns at night; on the second day, you can visit the Chu Culture Museum. ⛺【Admission Standards】 The ancient city is open for free, but some attractions may charge a fee. ⛺【Must-Visit Attractions】 Ancient City Wall: Feel the weight of history🛕. Bao'en Temple: Participate in folk activities🎡. Chu Culture Museum: Discover the charm of Chu culture📚. ⛺【Photo Check-in Spots】 South Gate: Lanterns and city walls reflect each other, suitable for photography📸. East Street: Traditional architecture and light shows create beautiful scenes🖼. 🍩【Must-Eat Delicacies】 Da Jiu Jia: A specialty pastry with a unique taste👍. Beef Soup: Delicious and nutritious broth🥘. Old Goose: Tender meat with a rich local flavor🦢. 🏨【Accommodation Strategy】 You can choose hotels or homestays within the ancient city for convenience👣. Recommended are Shouzhou International Hotel, Shouxian Juhongsheng Resort Hotel, etc. 🚌【Transportation Strategy】 Self-driving or public transportation are both options. If choosing public transportation, you can take bus 29 in Huainan city to reach Shouxian. 🧡【Tips】 Pay attention to the official information for the opening hours of the city wall and museum; during holidays, there are more tourists, so it is advised to plan your trip in advance; when tasting food, be sure to choose a regular restaurant.

The Seven Ancient City Walls of China - Shouchun City Wall

🏯Shouchun City has a proud history: the last capital of the Chu State; the ancient battlefield of the Battle of Feishui; the birthplace of tofu; the capital of Huainan State, and so on. 🏯In addition, it has a complete ancient city wall. The former capital of the Chu State lies underground, and the existing ancient city wall was built during the Song Dynasty, with repairs during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, and is still well preserved to this day. 📚Shouchun City is also the origin of many idioms and proverbs: one man achieves enlightenment, all creatures ascend to heaven; the wind cries, every blade of grass and tree becomes a soldier; throwing a whip to stop the flow; human greed is not satisfied, like a snake swallowing an elephant, etc.

Half-Day Tour of Shouxian Chu Culture Museum

Anhui Chu Culture Museum is the only museum in the country named after Chu culture. It is located in Shouxian, Huai'an City, Anhui Province, where it harbors a rich heritage of historical and cultural relics, showcasing the unique charm of Chu culture. The museum houses several precious cultural relics: 1. A three-legged sheep-headed bronze Zun The decorative patterns all bear a strong Chu cultural characteristic. 2. "The sword bestowed by the King of Yue" The phrase 'bestowed by the king' refers to the son of King Goujian of Yue, The object consists of four parts: the blade, the guard, the handle, and the pommel. The handle is inlaid with turquoise to create exquisite connected cloud patterns. The double-sided guard is inlaid with turquoise to form a hollow bird script with an eight-character inscription that is extremely aesthetically pleasing. 3. "Yingzhou Kaiyuan Temple" large bronze bell The bell was originally cast for Kaiyuan Temple in Yingzhou (now Fuyang) and was transported to Shouzhou in the early Ming Dynasty. It was previously hung in the 'Shengyuan Tower' in the alley north of East Street. The bell is 170 centimeters tall, with a diameter of 125 centimeters, and weighs about 5000 jin, making it the earliest and heaviest bronze bell in existence. 4. Gilded silver divine beast engraved bronze boat The entire body is crafted with alternating yellow and white gilding and silver work, and is engraved with divine figures, divine beasts, and cloud patterns, truly living up to its nickname 'golden rice bowl'. 5. Chu gold coins The most shocking is undoubtedly the wall of Chu gold coins made up of 158 pieces, with a gold content of 85%-96%, a testament to the exquisite skills of the people of Chu at the time. 6. "Chongfo Sheli" entwined peony pattern gold coffin The gold coffin is riveted together with six thin gold sheets, resembling a modern wooden coffin, larger at one end and smaller at the other, with a raised lid and double fan false doors decorated at the front end of the coffin head. The bottom of the coffin is engraved with the words 'Chongfo Sheli'. Inside the coffin are 330 colorful relics. 7. Repoussé treasure-inlaid eight-dragon pattern gold belt buckle A gold ornament from the Eastern Han Dynasty, with a strong three-dimensional sense due to its openwork and high relief. The Shouxian Chu Culture Museum may be unassuming, but it carries a profound historical significance. If there could be a separate exhibition hall dedicated to explaining the classic idioms from Liu An's 'Huainanzi' of the Huainan King, it might add even more historical charm to the city. Regardless, it is worth a visit. Anhui Chu Culture Museum

Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva and his Arhat colleagues

🗿Tang and Song Dynasty Buddhist art woodcarvings. Originally enshrined in the Three Saints Temple in the northwest corner of Shouxian City, it was moved to the Shouxian Museum in the 1960s. This statue is dignified, auspicious, and lifelike. Its artistic style, while clearly absorbing the essence of ancient Indian art, also reflects the traditional art and humanistic thought of the Central Plains, showing the unique Buddhist modeling art style of the Tang Dynasty. 📍Address: Northeast corner of the intersection of Mingzhu Avenue and Binyang Avenue in Shouxian County 🈺Opening hours: 9:00-17:00 (stop entering at 16:00)

Anhui Shouxian has a long history. It has left a lot of cultural relics, walked into the museum and entered the historical memory.

Shou County, a lesser-known ancient city under the administration of Huainan, is worth a visit

The ancient city wall of Shou County was built during the Xining period of the Northern Song Dynasty (1068-1077), and it has been repaired multiple times during the Ming and Qing dynasties, with a history of over 900 years. The ancient city wall is roughly square in shape, with a chessboard-style layout, a perimeter of 7147 meters, a height of 9.7 meters, a base width of 18-20 meters, and a top width of 6-10 meters. The area within the city is 3.65 square kilometers. The foundation of the city wall is built with large stones, and the middle of the wall is compacted with clay. Interestingly, the outer wall is covered with extra-large blue bricks, while the inner wall is not covered with bricks but is a dirt slope. It is said that the seams between bricks and stones are filled with a mixture of tung oil, glutinous rice juice, and lime paste. The city wall is equipped with 'enemy towers' and 'alarm towers', and the top of the wall is lined with 'crenellations', which are low walls with battlements. The city has four gates, each inscribed with its name: Bin Yang in the east, Tong Fei in the south, Ding Hu in the west, and Jing Huai in the north, each with a barbican except for the south gate. According to local residents, the east and north gates are the old city gates, while the south and west gates have been rebuilt in recent years. There is a moat outside the city. The uniqueness of the ancient city wall of Shou County lies in its unique water level regulation system! In the first year of the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty (1573), Shou County saw the emergence of 'moon dams'. The so-called moon dam is a cylindrical dam wall built of brick and stone structures, with the corner of the inner city's conduit as the center, rising above the city wall. It is surrounded by a thick embankment, and from a distance, it looks like a small hill. Inside the moon dam, there are stone steps that lead down, and at the bottom of the dam, there are brick spirals with several gates. The moon dam has four functions: first, it protects the sluice overall, isolating it from the outside and avoiding the inundation of internal river water; second, it allows the gates to be opened and closed at any time, controlling the flow at will; third, it enables timely comparison of internal and external water levels; fourth, it completely eliminates the hidden danger of external water backflow causing disasters. During the reconstruction in the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty, the east and west moon dams were respectively honored with the titles 'Chong Yong Zha Liu' and 'Jin Tang Gong Gu'. There were originally three moon dams, one each in the northeast, northwest, and southwest of the city, but only the northeast and northwest ones remain. Overall, Shou County ancient city is not crowded with tourists. The main roads within the city are spacious, with many parking spaces and parking lots along the road. There is a ring road inside the city wall, making it very convenient for self-driving tours. It is important to note that only the south gate allows vehicle entry and exit. In addition to the four city gates and the east and west moon dams, there are many cultural relics and historical sites within the city, such as the Confucian Temple, the Mosque, the Bao'en Temple, the Zhou Shu Qiao Tower, and the Shouzhou General Military Office, all of which are worth a visit, and the key point is that they are all free!

Ancient City of Shouxian, Huanan, Anhui | A place of strategic importance

| A place of strategic importance. 🚩Due to its important location at the junction of the river and Huai, Shouxian has always been a place of strategic importance for the military, where golden halberds fly. The ancient city wall of Shouxian was built for military defense! ✅The ancient city wall of Shouxian was built in the Song Dynasty, rebuilt in the Northern Song Dynasty, and has a history of more than 900 years. ✅ Brick walls and stone bases, four gates in the city, each with a urn city, this is exactly what we see in ancient film and television works about the ancient city wall, which also has a complete military defense system, is the best preserved ancient city wall of the Song Dynasty in China, more than 100 years earlier than the ancient city of Pingyao in Shanxi. ✅Located on the banks of the Jianghuai, Shouxian has been plagued by floods for a long time in history. The construction of the city wall has blocked the flood outside the city wall many times in history, saving the residents from the disaster of flood. ➡️The ancient city wall has four ancient city gates: Binyang in the east, Tongfu in the south, Dinghu in the west, and Jinghuai in the north 👉Although the name of the ancient city wall of Shouxian is little known, and even once in a state of being forgotten, its historical value is still not lost to other ancient cities. ✅ Ancient exploration tips 🚩Ancient city wall of Shouxian 📍Old city area of Shouxian, Huanan City 🎫Open to the public for free all day ⏰Recommended tour time 2 hours 🚌Take bus No. 29 in the city, take bus No. 601 in Shouxian Ancient city wall of Shouxian

5 Things You Must Know Before Going to Bagongshan, Creating Many of China's Firsts Yet Little Known

Every city in Anhui has its own mountain, among these mountains, there is a mountain located in the 'City of Energy' that is underestimated, and it has created many of China's firsts, as well as the world's firsts, but its name - Bagongshan, is little known. 1⃣️Origin of Tofu The 'white' in Huainan refers to tofu, which is known as the 'hometown of tofu', and the origin of tofu is at the foot of Bagongshan. More than two thousand years ago, King Liu An of Huainan lived in seclusion at the foot of Bagongshan and began to practice the elixir of immortality. In the process of refining the elixir, he accidentally invented tofu, making Bagongshan the 'hometown of tofu' and 'origin of tofu'. 2⃣️Compilation of 'Huainanzi' King Liu An of Huainan practiced Taoism at the foot of Bagongshan, and he widely recruited guests and co-authored 'Huainanzi' with his guests. The 'Twenty-Four Solar Terms' that has been used in our country since ancient times also originated from here, and it is also the first book in our country that completely recorded the 'Twenty-Four Solar Terms'. 3⃣️Discovery of the Earliest Fossil of Ancient Life in the World The 'Huainan Insect' fossil formed 800 million years ago was discovered in its territory. It is the earliest fossil of ancient life discovered in the world so far, and it is hailed by the international geological community as the source of life on the 'blue planet'. In a series of archaeological works, the earliest fossil of an ancient ape discovered in our country so far was also discovered in 2000, dating back more than 3 million years. 4⃣️Ancient Battlefield of the Battle of Feishui The ancient battlefield of the Battle of Feishui, one of the most famous battles in Chinese history where the few defeated the many, is located at the foot of Bagongshan. The well-known idioms such as 'the wind is crying, the grass and trees are all soldiers, and the whip is broken' all originated from this battle. 5⃣️Coexistence of Natural and Cultural Landscapes The mountain scenery here is beautiful, with famous attractions such as Pearl Spring, Agate Spring, Rui Spring, Bisha Spring, Lanshow Spring, Washing Spring, Yunbin Spring, No Woman Spring and other twenty-four springs. In addition, there are many buildings such as Han Huainan King Palace, Ascending Immortal Platform, Battle of Feishui Site, White Pagoda Temple, White Pagoda, Qinglang Pavilion, as well as natural landscapes such as Stone Forest, Forgetful Valley, Forest Bathing Field, Red Leaf Valley, Lanxiang Lake. ✅Travel Guide 🚩Bagongshan National Geological Park 📍Bagongshan District, Huainan City, Bagongshan South Road ⌚️Opening hours all year round 08:00-17:30 🚌Bus 26, 111, 121, 20, 33, etc. 🎫Ticket 40 yuan 👉Recommended tour route: Bagongshan Stone Forest, Forgetful Valley, Han Huainan King Palace, Ascending Immortal Platform, White Pagoda Temple ⏰Recommended tour time 2-3 hours

5 Things You Must Know Before Going to Bagongshan, Creating Many of China's Firsts Yet Little Known

Every city in Anhui has its own mountain, among these mountains, there is a mountain located in the 'City of Energy' that is underestimated, and it has created many of China's firsts, as well as the world's firsts, but its name - Bagongshan, is little known. 1⃣️Origin of Tofu The 'white' in Huainan refers to tofu, which is known as the 'hometown of tofu', and the origin of tofu is at the foot of Bagongshan. More than two thousand years ago, King Liu An of Huainan lived in seclusion at the foot of Bagongshan and began to practice the elixir of immortality. In the process of refining the elixir, he accidentally invented tofu, making Bagongshan the 'hometown of tofu' and 'origin of tofu'. 2⃣️Compilation of 'Huainanzi' King Liu An of Huainan practiced Taoism at the foot of Bagongshan, and he widely recruited guests and co-authored 'Huainanzi' with his guests. The 'Twenty-Four Solar Terms' that has been used in our country since ancient times also originated from here, and it is also the first book in our country that completely recorded the 'Twenty-Four Solar Terms'. 3⃣️Discovery of the Earliest Fossil of Ancient Life in the World The 'Huainan Insect' fossil formed 800 million years ago was discovered in its territory. It is the earliest fossil of ancient life discovered in the world so far, and it is hailed by the international geological community as the source of life on the 'blue planet'. In a series of archaeological works, the earliest fossil of an ancient ape discovered in our country so far was also discovered in 2000, dating back more than 3 million years. 4⃣️Ancient Battlefield of the Battle of Feishui The ancient battlefield of the Battle of Feishui, one of the most famous battles in Chinese history where the few defeated the many, is located at the foot of Bagongshan. The well-known idioms such as 'the wind is crying, the grass and trees are all soldiers, and the whip is broken' all originated from this battle. 5⃣️Coexistence of Natural and Cultural Landscapes The mountain scenery here is beautiful, with famous attractions such as Pearl Spring, Agate Spring, Rui Spring, Bisha Spring, Lanshow Spring, Washing Spring, Yunbin Spring, No Woman Spring and other twenty-four springs. In addition, there are many buildings such as Han Huainan King Palace, Ascending Immortal Platform, Battle of Feishui Site, White Pagoda Temple, White Pagoda, Qinglang Pavilion, as well as natural landscapes such as Stone Forest, Forgetful Valley, Forest Bathing Field, Red Leaf Valley, Lanxiang Lake. ✅Travel Guide 🚩Bagongshan National Geological Park 📍Bagongshan District, Huainan City, Bagongshan South Road ⌚️Opening hours all year round 08:00-17:30 🚌Bus 26, 111, 121, 20, 33, etc. 🎫Ticket 40 yuan 👉Recommended tour route: Bagongshan Stone Forest, Forgetful Valley, Han Huainan King Palace, Ascending Immortal Platform, White Pagoda Temple ⏰Recommended tour time 2-3 hours