Yangzhou: A Timeless City of Poets and Literati
Since ancient times, Yangzhou has been a favored destination for literati and poets. Li Bai, at the age of 25, embarked on his travels, with Yangzhou being his first stop. It was here, on the fifteenth day, that he penned the immortal lines ‘Raise my head and gaze at the bright moon, lower my head and think of my hometown.’ The phrase ‘fireworks in March over Yangzhou’ has turned the city into a dream in spring. An ancient saying goes, ‘The world’s moonlit nights are divided into three parts, two of which are in Yangzhou without reason.’ Walking through the streets of Yangzhou, one feels the intersection of time and space. Every corner of Yangzhou, which has emerged from history, is imbued with the marks of time.
Yangzhou’s Year-Round Tourist Hotspots
Yangzhou is a tourist hotspot all year round. After experiencing the crowds at He Garden, Ge Garden, and Slender West Lake, consider visiting some less-known attractions for a different surprise.
Dadongmen Bridge: The Poetic Beauty of Misty Rain in Jiangnan
Walking along the lanes with pink walls and black tiles, the small Qinhuai River ripples with green waves, and the weeping willows are reflected in the water. On Caiyi Street, snack stalls emit steam, and as you cross Dadongmen Bridge in the light rain, it’s incredibly beautiful. This is the Jiangnan I have in mind. Dadongmen Bridge is located at the eastern end of Dadongmen Street, spanning the small Qinhuai River from east to west. It was originally a wooden drawbridge built during the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty on the moat outside the eastern city gate of the old city. In 1927, it was changed to a brick and stone arch bridge with a stone bridge base and brick arch top. The bridge is 10.7 meters long and 4.7 meters wide, well-preserved and in use to this day.
Huaiyang Cuisine Museum for Morning Tea
In Yangzhou, many people tirelessly seek the most authentic Huaiyang cuisine. Dining at the Huaiyang Cuisine Museum is a sure bet. The museum is housed in the ancient Lu Residence, a grand and atmospheric building constructed by salt merchant Lu Shaosu during the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty, costing seventy thousand taels of silver. It is a national key cultural relics protection unit. Walking through it, one can see the ‘nine progresses’ of the Lu Residence, with doors and windows gradually becoming smaller. Inside, the museum displays past luxurious banquets. Here, you can enjoy a meal or morning tea, sipping on Kuilongzhu tea, and savoring dishes such as Yao meat, jade steamed dumplings, five-ingredient buns, and crab roe soup buns, making for a very satisfying breakfast.
