Holiday in Yangzhou

About Yangzhou

Yangzhou is a historic city in Jiangsu Province at the confluence of the Grand Canal and the Yangtze River. During the Tang and Qing Dynasties, Yangzhou was one of the richest and most cultured cities in China — a center for trade, poetry, painting, and cuisine that even overshadowed imperial Beijing. The Slender West Lake (Shouxi Hu) is Yangzhou's scenic jewel: a 4 km long willow-lined lake with elegant bridges, pavilions, pagodas, and islands, designed in the 18th century after the model of West Lake in Hangzhou. The Five-Arch Bridge (Wuting Qiao) by moonlight is one of the most iconic images of China. Yangzhou is the birthplace of the world-famous Yangzhou Chao Fan (fried rice): the dish originated in the imperial kitchens of the city and spread from here to the whole world. Huaiyang cuisine, one of the four great culinary traditions of China, also comes from Yangzhou and is famous for its elegance and precision. The Garden of the Individual Retreat (Ge Yuan) and He Garden (He Yuan) are among the most beautiful classical gardens in China: artfully arranged rocks, bamboo, ponds, and moon gates create spaces for contemplation. Yangzhou's gardens are less visited than those in Suzhou but are equally masterful. The Grand Canal, the longest artificial waterway in the world (1,794 km from Beijing to Hangzhou), was partially constructed under Emperor Yang of Sui in the 7th century through Yangzhou and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.