Nanchang Travel Guide: History and Local Life in the City of Heroes
Nanchang, the capital of Jiangxi Province, is a city that blends red memories, the charm of the Jiangnan region, and modern vitality. As the "City of Heroes," it boasts the timeless poetry of the Pavilion of Prince Teng, the revolutionary fervor of Bayi Square, and the vibrant local life along the Gan River. This guide will help you explore Nanchang!
Best Time to Visit
- Spring and Autumn (March–May, September–November): The weather is pleasant, making it ideal for outdoor excursions.
- Summer (June–August): It can be quite hot, but you can enjoy the Gan River night cruise and escape the heat in indoor venues.
- Winter (December–February): It tends to be damp and cold, but there are fewer tourists, making it suitable for a leisurely trip.
Must-Visit Attractions
1. Pavilion of Prince Teng
- Recommended because: It is one of the three famous towers in Jiangnan, known for Wang Bo's "Preface to the Pavilion of Prince Teng."
- How to enjoy:
- Climb the tower to overlook the Gan River and experience the artistic conception of "sunset glows and lonely ducks flying together."
- At night, there is a live performance called "Finding Dreams in the Pavilion of Prince Teng," with a stunning light show.
- Admission: ¥50 for daytime, ¥80 for nighttime (performance fee not included).
2. August 1st Uprising Memorial Hall & Bayi Square
- Recommended because: Nanchang Uprising fired the first shot, a must-visit for red tourism.
- How to enjoy:
- The memorial hall displays a large number of revolutionary cultural relics, suitable for history buffs.
- The monument in Bayi Square looks great in the night lights.
- Admission: Free (ID card required).
3. Jiangxi Provincial Museum (New Museum)
- Recommended because: It is a national first-class museum, and the "Bronze Double-Faced Human Head" is a must-see treasure of the museum.
- Highlights: Exhibition of cultural relics unearthed from the Haihunhou Tomb (gold piles, horseshoe gold).
- Admission: Free (reservation required).
4. Qiushui Square & Gan River Night Cruise
- Recommended because: It is the best place to enjoy the night view of Nanchang.
- How to enjoy:
- There is a musical fountain show from 19:30–20:00 (free).
- You can take a cruise to enjoy the night view of the Gan River and the lights of the Pavilion of Prince Teng in the distance.
5. Nanchang Star Ferris Wheel 🎡
- Recommended because: It is the third tallest Ferris wheel in the world (160m), offering a panoramic view of Nanchang.
- Best time: Sunset or night, when the lights are dazzling.
- Admission: ¥50.
6. Wanshou Palace Historical and Cultural Block
- Recommended because: It is a retro commercial street in the old city of Nanchang, with delicious food and great shopping.
- How to enjoy:
- Check out Nanchang's authentic snacks (mixed noodles, crock pot soup, white sugar cake).
- When the lanterns 🏮 light up at night, the atmosphere is amazing.
7. Meiling National Forest Park
- Recommended because: It is Nanchang's "back garden," ideal for hiking and escaping the summer heat.
- Recommended attractions: Lion Peak, Shenlongtan, Hongya Danjing.
- Transportation: About 1 hour drive from the city center.
Nanchang Food Recommendations
Nanchang people love spicy food, and the cuisine is known for being "fresh, fragrant, spicy, and refreshing." These are must-try dishes:
1. Must-Eat Breakfast
- Nanchang Mixed Noodles (¥3–5 a bowl, perfect with crock pot soup).
- White Sugar Cake (a glutinous and fried dessert).
2. Recommended Meals
- Representative of Gan cuisine: Artemisia selengensis stir-fried with cured meat, beer duck, Poyang Lake big fish head.
- Internet-famous restaurants:
- Lao San Yang (crab claw noodles, spicy lotus root slices, so spicy you'll sweat).
- Yangzi's Two Rooms and One Living Room (a local favorite hole-in-the-wall restaurant).
3. Snacks & Night Markets
- Wanshou Palace Snack Street: Hugeng (thick soup), fried skewers, mung bean cake.
- Shengjinta Food Street: Lively at night, perfect for late-night snacks.
Transportation Guide
- Airplane ✈️: Nanchang Changbei International Airport, Metro Line 1 directly to the city center.
- High-speed train 🚅: Nanchang West Station (mainly high-speed trains), Nanchang Station (old station in the city center).
- City transportation: Metro Lines 1–4 cover the main attractions, and taxis are not expensive.
Accommodation Recommendations
- City Center (Bayi Square/Zhongshan Road): Convenient transportation and rich nightlife.
- Honggutan New District: Modern business district, close to Qiushui Square and the Ferris wheel.
- Near the Pavilion of Prince Teng: River view rooms, suitable for tourists who like night views.
3-Day Itinerary
Day 1: Pavilion of Prince Teng → August 1st Uprising Memorial Hall → Wanshou Palace → Qiushui Square night view
Day 2: Jiangxi Provincial Museum → Nanchang Star Ferris Wheel → Shengjinta Night Market
Day 3: Meiling Hiking/Haihunhou State Ruins Park (optional)
Travel Tips
1. Nanchang cuisine is spicy, so you can ask for "slightly spicy" when ordering.
2. Pay attention to sun protection in summer and prepare for cold weather in winter (damp and cold).
3. Use the "Lu Lu Xing" APP to scan the code for metro rides, which is convenient and fast.
Nanchang is an underestimated treasure city, with both historical depth and the vibrancy of local life. Come here and experience the poetry and local life of the City of Heroes! 🚀
A visit to the Haihunhou Museum in Nanchang is a must! I was truly awestruck. The gold and jade artifacts on display were exquisitely crafted, especially the rows of gold ingots and horseshoe-shaped gold pieces, shimmering with a thousand-year-old luster. It instantly made me understand what "wealth comparable to a nation" truly meant. The cultural and creative products area was also a pleasant surprise. The bookmarks and fridge magnets were beautifully designed and reasonably priced. The entire visit was smooth and fulfilling, both educational and imbued with historical charm. It's definitely worth setting aside half a day for, and I've already recommended it to all my friends visiting Nanchang!
A newly popular tourist attraction in Nanchang, the story of Liu He, who was described as a muddle-headed and muddle-headed emperor who was demoted to a marquis, began an extremely enjoyable life and left behind a story and wealth no less than that of an emperor!
It's quite far from the city center, and I took the Ctrip scenic area shuttle bus there. The museum didn't have many exhibits, but the cemetery was still very impressive! The experience wasn't as good as Sanxingdui!
Full boxes, full boxes of silver, beggars are slandered in a blink of an eye. Liu He's life is really like a roller coaster ride. Being an emperor for 27 days used up all his luck in his life, and the rest of his life is just "walking on thin ice". If there is no overwhelming wealth from heaven, can he be like his fourth uncle Liu Sheng, with a group of wives and concubines, children and grandchildren around his knees, and be a rich and idle person? The marquis is not a marquis, the king is not a king, and thousands of chariots and hundreds of horses go to Beimang. In a mess, you sing and I come on stage, but in the end, it is all for others to make wedding clothes. Two reminders: The museum is far from Nanchang, and it takes about 50 minutes to get there by taxi. As the tomb with the most unearthed gold artifacts, the main attraction of the Haihunhou Museum is gold, a lot of gold, and the overall viewing is very average. The reconstruction of the tomb is really a complete simulation reconstruction, which is really far behind the Qin Gong No. 1 Tomb and Yangling in Shaanxi. Of course, this temporary emperor is also far behind the emperor. Second, the museum is very dignified. You have to walk a long way from the bus to the entrance and from the entrance to the museum entrance. There is no shade in the 37-degree high temperature, so you must pay attention to sun protection. Third, you must buy a sightseeing bus ticket in summer. You must buy it. Especially from the museum to the ruins, the bus ride is very long.
The specific route of the one-day tour of the Legend of Haihun Line: August 1st Uprising Memorial Hall - Wanshou Palace Historical and Cultural District - Nanchang Han Dynasty Haihunhou State Ruins Park - Tengwang Pavilion. The reason for signing up for this group is that we chose a non-self-driving free trip this time. I normally like to sign up for a local one-day group. In addition to being able to constrain myself with time, I can also go to more places. The key is to follow the tour guide to learn more about the local cultural landscape! The Haihunhou State Ruins Park is far away from the urban area of Nanchang, about a 1-hour drive. This route is subsidized by the local government. The per capita cost is less than 100 yuan, and it also includes the ticket to the Haihunhou State Ruins Park (60 yuan/person for adults). [Cost-effectiveness] I think the cost-effectiveness is high. The key is that the tour guide is also excellent and the service attitude is good! Like Nanchang Cultural Tourism!
The most worthwhile thing to check in in Nanchang and Changsha is the Haihunhou. It is not an exaggeration to say that it is amazing! They are all original objects, and the exhibits are exquisite. We went to the front desk of the museum to form a group of ten people for the explanation. When we got to 9 people, we stopped waiting. The average cost per person was 33.5 yuan. You must buy a sightseeing car. Although the introduction said that it was about 6 kilometers round trip, I estimated that it was a straight-line distance. I usually run, and I still have a point of distance. If you walk to visit the museum and the tomb, it will be at least 8 kilometers back and forth. We have to take the train to Changsha at 6 o'clock in the evening, so we chose to go by ourselves without joining the group. Living near Bayi Square, the price of online car-hailing is 60 to 70 yuan, and it takes about an hour to drive. If you have enough time and are not in a hurry, you can watch some performances, which will take about a day.
I visited the long-admired Tomb of the Han Dynasty of Haihunhou, which was really shocking! Although it is far from the urban area of Nanchang, it still cannot stop many tourists! There are many cultural relics worth seeing, such as the statue of Confucius, the seal of Liu He, a large number of gold cakes, piles of money, wooden slips, etc. The Han Tomb Site is also not to be missed!
# Visit the Han Dynasty Haihunhou State Ruins in Nanchang - A Journey Through Time In July 2024, I had the honor of visiting the Haihunhou State Ruins Park in Nanchang, Jiangxi Province. The typical Han Dynasty capital settlement ruins are preserved here, which can be regarded as a major discovery in my country's archaeological community. Ruins Museum Area - The Distant Han Dynasty Civilization Entering the ruins park, the first thing that catches your eye is a unique building - the Nanchang Han Dynasty Haihunhou Visitor Center. Its design is cleverly based on the jade bi unearthed from Liu He's tomb. The entire building is like a self-circular "Yuanbi Litian". This comprehensive building, covering an area of 8,500 square meters, integrates multiple functions such as tourist reception, cultural display, experience, entertainment and shopping. In the museum, a large number of Han Dynasty cultural relics are displayed, including gold, bronze, jade, lacquer wood, ceramics, etc., which makes people feel as if they have traveled back to the Han Dynasty more than 2,000 years ago. The most eye-catching are the 480 gold artifacts unearthed, as well as precious cultural relics such as Confucius's mirror, Caijin pattern chime bells and jade seals. Tomb Exhibition Area - Exploring the Footprints of Historical Figures From the museum into the tomb exhibition area, the tomb of Liu He, the first generation of Haihunhou, is displayed here. During the archaeological excavation, a wealth of burial objects were unearthed, including various handicrafts, daily necessities, and documentary materials such as bamboo slips and wooden slips, which provided us with precious evidence to restore the living conditions of the nobles of Haihunhou State more than 2,000 years ago. In the tomb exhibition area, we can observe the original appearance of Liu He's tomb at close range. Through these unearthed cultural relics, we can understand the social structure, political system, economic conditions and cultural characteristics of the Marquisate of the Han Dynasty. These discoveries have undoubtedly made a significant contribution to my country's archaeology. Zijincheng Exhibition Area - Recreating the style of the Han Dynasty capital On the other side of the park is the relic exhibition area of Zijincheng site. Here, the scale and layout of Zijin City, the capital of Haihunhou State, are vividly displayed through sand table models and real-life restoration. From this, we can see that Zijin City was once a typical capital of a Han Dynasty marquisate, with a grand scale and a rigorous and orderly layout.